One of a Kind
by dragoscilvio
Summary: Zoro is forced into the most agonizing trial of his life that changes everything. With the torment of failure radiating in the back of his mind and the struggle to learn how to live normally with new abilities, for the first time the swordsman finds himself having to rely on his crew for the strength he needs to stand. After all, no one has ever survived eating two Devil Fruit...
1. Chapter 1

**Welcome to my new story! My name is Dragoscilvio and this is my third One Piece Story. I haven't seen many stories that include Zoro eating a Devil Fruit and I felt like doing one. I hope you enjoy it!**

He wasn't sure how it had happened, and honestly Zoro wasn't even sure that he'd be able to avoid it even if he were able to go back to when it all started. However the swordsman was sure of one thing, he was neck deep in the worst situation he had ever come up against. Worse than the time he was tied to the post and left to starve for a month, worse than the time he was almost turned into a wax statue and even almost worse than the time he took on his captain's pain. No, he was about to face his biggest battle yet and Zoro actually felt concern over whether or not he would come through alive.

Heaving a sigh, the moss headed man thought back to when he had landed in this mess.

They had been fighting a reasonably difficult Navy ship, the captain of said crew putting up a decent fight as he went toe to toe with Luffy. Zoro had been fighting in the middle of about fifty marines, perfectly at ease with the numbers stacked against him. Fifty was nothing, especially after the training he'd put in to get to the level he was at, and the swordsman could only smirk at the pathetic attacks these so called swordsman displayed. Unfortunately that was when the moss headed man's luck, as it so often did, turned against him.

Out of the corner of his eye, Zoro noticed Chopper being pushed into a particularly vulnerable position. The marines he was fighting were somehow gaining the upper edge and were forcing the small animal into a rocky outcropping pinning his back against a sheer cliff. The man noticed one of the marines throwing a lit grenade at the doctor and that was when the swordsman sprang into action.

His mind was already calculating the distance plus the speed required to make it in time to defend his nakama. Zoro heaved a sigh, already resigning himself to impending pain as he noticed that he would not have enough time to disarm the grenade. Choosing between attempting to do so (and very possibly failing resulting in major injury for both of them) or covering Chopper and keeping him from the brunt of the damage, Zoro immediately changed course and flung his muscular form over the reindeer.

The area was rocked by the loud boom and within moments of the dust clearing, the marines closed in on the two unconscious figures, picking up their bodies and carrying them to the nearest ship. From there it was a simple matter of transporting them to a Marines headquarters and shackling them to the wall. They had been held there for almost two days before the swordsman and the doctor met the man responsible for their capture. That was when things took a turn for the irritatingly worse.

He wasn't scared of being held captive or even tortured, perish the thought.

He'd been held captive more times than he could count and none of the times that he had enjoyed the particular hospitality given to pirates by the Navy, had he ever felt like he was in any danger. If anything he treated it like a vacation at a hotel with free food, plus he was usually left alone. However his current situation called for a tad more caution than normal. Particularly because he wasn't responsible for only his own safety, but now was the guardian of the Pirate crew's resident doctor.

"Now Roronoa, have we made a decision, will you tell me the weaknesses of your captain and crew?"

Oh yeah, and then there's this guy. Zoro rolled his eyes in annoyance.

Their latest host in yet their newest cell was a madman, and a Straw Hat Pirate calling someone insane was certainly something to note. This guy found particular enjoyment in his preferred form of execution, part of which included irritating mind games.

"Roronoa, are you listening to me?" the Marine snapped.

No, not really. To be honest Zoro was finding more entertainment watching a fly buzz around said Marine's head. Every once in a while the insect would dive down and attack some part of the man's face, resulting in their captor slapping himself and then flailing around to drive the bug away. If the swordsman believed in a deity he would be thanking the heavens for what he was sure was divine retribution. Though if God existed, the swordsman pondered, would he really care about delivering karma in the shape of a bug? Zoro shrugged to himself, who knows, all he currently cared about for the moment was getting out of there safely with Chopper.

"Pirate Hunter Zoro!" the Marine finally screamed his mustache straightening out into two irate points "Answer me this instant!"

"Isn't that technically an oxy-moron?" Zoro murmured his one good eye still trained on the fly, which was currently repeatedly running headfirst into the ceiling, it was probably as bored as the captives "I mean, I don't hunt pirates anymore and everyone calling me that is kind of redundant."

Chopper giggled from where he was shackled and the Marine growled at the pirate's morose response "Roronoa Zoro, I am beginning to think that you aren't taking this seriously."

Zoro's eye widened as his eyebrows climbed up his head in a look of pure revelation "Wow," he whispered still watching the bug "so Marine's finally figured out how to do that."

"How to do what?" Chopper asked brightly.

Zoro finally cast his gaze onto something other than the bug and smirked at the little reindeer "Think," he replied simply.

Chopper exploded into uncontrollable giggles while a vein began to pulse in the Marine's temple "Roronoa," he hissed "you are leaving me no choice but to use my last resort."

"And that would be?" Zoro drawled completely nonplussed by the man holding them hostage.

"Never before have I met a pirate crew as obnoxious as yours," the marine snarled as he pulled on two leather gloves, and then snapped his fingers at waiting attendants holding strange wooden boxes "to be perfectly frank I have been plotting your crew's demise for quite some time."

Zoro rolled his eye, allowing his head to droop down to his chest so to somewhat smother a bored yawn "You and everyone else in the World Government," he mumbled.

The marine ground his teeth in an effort not to be caught by the bait and lose his composure, and instead continued on with his monologue "And I have done much research on execution styles that would suit the rage I hold, and after long hours of searching I finally found it."

The man had finally caught Zoro's attention, because if they were simply being held awaiting a transport to Impel Down, then he could easily handle anything thrown at him. The worst part about that scenario would be keeping himself entertained during the inevitable boredom. However this man was planning an execution. Something he was planning on carrying out right this moment. Muscles tensed and the man grit his teeth as all his focus went squarely to the threat standing in front of him.

"Oh?" Zoro's gaze went from bored to sharp as flint in a millisecond his body radiating fighting spirit as he prepared for the battle ahead "and that would be?"

"To be honest, it's more of an experiment," their captor shrugged with seeming regret "I'm not really sure how it will turn out. You've heard about how no one can eat two devil fruit and survive?"

"Yeah," came the growled reply.

"I'm going to give you a choice," the Marine sneered "you see I need a subject for my experiment. I would be more than willing to let one of you go, if one of you were to volunteer. Of course I could always just feed a devil fruit to your friend here, it saves me the time to locate two more."

Zoro gnashed his teeth in fury "You touch Chopper and I'll make sure you never use your hands again!"

"Then are you volunteering?"

"Zoro! Don't do it!" chopper wailed turning horrified eyes on the swordsman.

The swordsman ground his teeth together as flashbacks of Thriller Bark played before his eyes. Why was it he was always the one in the position for self-sacrifice? Zoro wasn't as suicidal as people thought he was, he merely was the one who felt very strongly about protecting his family, and when said family was a bunch of klutzes he collected a few more injuries than normal. Of course he thought this in only the fondest way possible. However it always seemed that he was usually the one in the position for such things.

But Chopper's life was on the line, and if he didn't accept this idiot's ultimatum then the reindeer would most assuredly die. The swordsman's gut twisted at the thought that he was giving up the battle he had fought for so long in resisting eating a Devil Fruit.

He and Sanji had both refused, one rare thing that the two agreed on, because they both wanted to be strong in their own right. The idea of either of them eating a Devil Fruit was repugnant to both, they were the ones who protected the hammers in the crew from drowning, and they were the ones who rescued the captain when he was caught in a sea stone cage. Now Zoro was being forced to choose between weakening himself ultimately costing the crew one more able bodied fighter who could actually swim or he could pass the sentence on to someone else costing Chopper his life. The last option was a coward's way out and Zoro knew what his decision would be.

After a few moments of thought the man rasped "Fine, I'll do it."

"Zoro you idiot!" Chopper screamed weakly throwing himself against the sea prism stone bonds "What about your dream?!"

"I'll still fulfill my dream," Zoro replied seriously "besides if something goes wrong you can always find a new swordsman. Finding a doctor to replace you would be impossible, but I promise that won't happen… I won't die."

"You can't promise that!"

The swordsman merely smiled "Chopper, trust me, have I ever broken a promise?"

Tears streamed down the reindeer's face "But what if you can't keep it?"

"I will,"

"Well then, since the decision has been made why don't I bring forward the Devil Fruit?" Zoro sneered at the man currently force feeding him the cursed fruit.

"You better pray I don't survive this," he snarled with a malicious grin "because if I do, I'm coming after you first."

This is how Zoro found himself facing the biggest battle of his life, one that somehow was giving the pain he endured on Thriller Bark a run for its money. Within moments of the man's declaration two funky looking fruit were brought before Zoro and sliced into pieces. Sticking a toothpick into a piece from either plate, the Marine released a feral grin.

"Have you ever seen anyone eat two different Devil Fruit," he whispered excitedly "it's quite the show. I have only seen it twice personally because obtaining two Devil Fruit is actually more complicated than it seems, but I enjoy it every time."

Zoro seethed with fury, his shoulders shaking with the anger "I could care less,"

"You should," the Marine hissed "because you're about to be the main attraction."

"Please Zoro," Chopper pleaded "I'm sure Luffy will be here soon, you don't have to do this!"

"Oh no, this is your last hope," Their captor smirked "it is either this, or I inject both of you with poison and be done with you. It is your choice."

"I already made the stupid decision, now get it over with already!" Zoro bellowed his mouth a grim slash of fury.

Without further ado, the Marine plopped both pieces into the swordsman's waiting mouth watching as Zoro chewed and swallowed with a grimace "Ugh, that stuff tastes horrible."

The Marine allowed a slow smile to spread across his features, Chopper merely stood watching his nakama horror mounting in his eyes "Z-Zoro," he murmured in a quavering voice "are y-you ok?"

The swordsman slowly blinked "Yeah," he shrugged casually before cocking an eyebrow at the Marine "hey are you sure that you got the right frui-AUUGH!"

A piercing scream ripped its way through the middle of Zoro's question making Chopper immediately melt into tears.

The swordsman couldn't understand it, one moment he was perfectly fine and then his body was being torn to pieces and thrown into a boiling pot of magma. His knees buckled as the man slid down the wall as far as his wrist restraints would allow while the green head slammed into the stone before his back arched bracing his skull as he fought against the waves of agony devouring him from the inside. Eventually he fell into a darkness accompanied by the sounds of screaming that he vaguely recognized as his own.

 **I hope you enjoyed this chapter!**

 **REVIEW PLEASE!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Here we are again!**

"Nami! Where are we?!"

The navigator sighed at the sound of her captain's all too familiar yell "The island should be in sight by tonight!" she bellowed back her brown gaze never leaving the horizon.

Sanji paused from where he was working in the galley listened to the conversation before returning to slamming around in the kitchen. He was mad, more than mad he was furious. How dare that moss head make everyone worry again?! Granted he only did because Chopper was in trouble, and Zoro wanted to protect the reindeer, but still did he have to let them get captured by the Marines? How lame can the moss head get? Lighting a cigarette and puffing on it with a vengeance, the cook squelched the poorly disguised concern with the all too familiar emotion of anger. Outside, the rest of the crew wasn't doing much better.

Usopp was pacing the lawn, while Franky checked over his guns and missiles for the tenth time that day. Robin was sequestered in the library researching anything she could find on the Marine base they were about to invade and Nami had not left the helm since they began their pursuit. Luffy was in his usual spot, his normally laughing cobalt eyes were shadowed and serious, promising death to any who got in his way. Brook wasn't even playing music, all were determinedly preparing to jump off the ship and charge ahead as soon as they made dock.

It wasn't a pleasant situation to be in, but they would manage, at least until they made landfall.

…

Zoro lay on the floor convulsing, foamy blood leaking from his mouth while more of the crimson substance dripped from his eyes and nose. The navy grunts had unchained the man and placed him in a separate cell, laying him down on the cold flagstones. Chopper stood by incapacitated by the Seastone prison bars, thick tears rolling down to stain brown fur. How much time had passed, he wasn't sure but the little reindeer was sure of one thing he needed to get to Zoro's side as soon as possible.

"Please," Chopper begged "just let me check on him, he's my nakama I can't let him die!"

The Marine scoffed at the heartfelt plea "Honestly, this test is about survival, he isn't meant to stay alive."

The swordsman's back arched as another tormented scream wrenched its way past clenched teeth before once again collapsing back onto the floor, his frame quivering as Zoro struggled to pull in short sips of air. One wild green eye searched frantically for something, anything that would make the pain stop. After finding nothing however, Zoro released a low moan burying his face into the floor and clenched meaty hands as another shiver slunk down his spine.

"Zoro," Chopper wept "Zoro look at me!"

One glazed over emerald eye peeked up to look at the reindeer, but Chopper had to bite back a hopeless sob when he saw that there was no recognition within the unfocused gaze. His cheeks flushed with what was assuredly a raging fever cast a deathly pall over now pallid skin. His eye was no longer bright and calculating, instead it was dull and growing dimmer by the second. A spasm jerked the man, making him retch a fountain of blood onto the floor before sinking into the stone with a tortured groan.

At this point Chopper was pretty sure that the moss headed man had no idea where he even was anymore, what with the fever combined by the agony that was clouding his senses. He had stopped talking almost as soon as the transformation had hit and his defiance of the pain had melted more with every shallow breath. A coughing hack rocked the muscular frame spraying more blood across the stone depriving the swordsman of precious oxygen and turning the anguished face ashen while fingers clawed at his chest and throat.

The Marine's mouth curled at the sight, sadistic glee beaming in his gaze "Take Roronoa to the cell located within my lab, prep for autopsy, he doesn't have much time left."

"No, don't take him!" Chopper shrieked watching three men bring in a large wheelbarrow and proceed to heave Zoro into it "Don't make him suffer alone!"

"Don't worry little raccoon, he won't suffer long, they never do."

"You don't know Zoro you jerk, he's can survive anything!" The reindeer snarled before settling back against the wall with a sniffled mumble "And I'm not a raccoon."

…..

Zoro curled into himself, intense shivers overtaking his body as muscular arms wrapped around his torso. He barely comprehended that he was being moved, only because every jostle of the vehicle beneath him caused him more pain. Eventually the metal thing was tipped and he was dumped unceremoniously out onto the floor. Muffled jeers and insults about how pathetic he looked floated listlessly through the mind that was shrieking in agony, not even comprehended as the men left Zoro in his misery.

His throat clenched, slowly closing in on itself making the swordsman sputter with a gag as his lungs strained to drag in the smallest ounce of air. His head swam as it was bombarded with smells, sounds and all new kinds of senses that he couldn't even name. Zoro could feel himself changing, things were happening to his body making his muscles spasm and twitch in increasingly painful increments. What the changes were, he wasn't sure, the only clue the swordsman had to go on was that black stripes kept appearing and disappearing on the skin of his arm. Claws slid out and retracted on his fingertips, much like a cats while violent shudders wracked his frame.

Speaking of which, Zoro hadn't noticed before but suddenly a weird windstorm had picked up outside. The glass in the windowpane shook as he lay on the ground, making the swordsman grimace in agony. The wind howled around the tower he was being held in, whispers, cries and shouts riding on its velvet waves pounding into Zoro's head building his new migraine into epic proportions. The moss headed man raised on trembling fist to grip his hair as a choked gasp of torment slipped past red stained lips.

Where was Luffy?

…..

"Get in there and find our Nakama, take out anyone who stands in our way!" Luffy bellowed as the _Thousand Sunny_ slid into port proudly.

"RIGHT!" the crew shouted in reply.

Nami watched as the headquarters went into full alert, but she honestly wasn't worried. They had taken on strongholds bigger than this and lived to tell the tale, and to be frank this was a backwater burg compared to the ones they'd toppled "Franky, I want you and Usopp defending the ship, keep us ready to leave at all times!"

"Yes ma'am!" the two yelled in unison each turning to face their enemy with grim determination.

The young woman crossed her arms, her sixth sense concerning the weather nagging her in the back of her mind. A violent storm had kicked up, the wind howling fierce enough to send many of the marines rushing out to meet them slip and grab onto trees to brace themselves. Normally weird weather on the Grand Line and New World wasn't odd, but there was something about it that felt unnatural. There was almost an agonized human keen to its bellowing wail. The wind buffeted the ship as well as the building it was currently circling and Nami winced as a particularly intense blast sent her hair in all directions and caused goosebumps to rise on her exposed skin.

The Navigator firmly shook her head, weather she could handle and they were Straw Hat pirates, she wasn't about to let a little wind stop her from rescuing her nakama "Sanji, you're with me! Robin, you and Brook back up Luffy. We'll split into two groups and focus on finding Zoro and Chopper before we raze this dung heap to the ground!"

"Nami-swan is so beautiful when she's being vengeful," Sanji sang as he strode up to smirk at the navigator "How about we go rescue our idiot swordsman and Chopper?"

"Let's," The red head grinned mischievously as she jumped off the ship and onto the dock.

The navigator and cook took off at an, albeit stumbled, sprint, the wind fighting their progress all the way. Sanji was having similar troubles, as was all the others of the crew who were fighting their way towards the Marine Headquarters. To be honest, they didn't have to fight barely at all. The Marines would raise their swords or their guns and immediately get swept away in a gale of wind. However, it still made storming the fortress that much harder.

Nami grit her teeth her hand gripping her weather staff in irritated frustration "This isn't natural," she ground out, falling for the umpteenth time.

"What do you mean?" Sanji gasped coughing slightly when the fierce bellow took his breath away.

"Just look at this place!" Nami retorted with a snap her brown eyes flashing "the geography of this stronghold should actually protect it from windstorms like this! This whole thing is unnatural!"

The cook paused, his eyes narrow as he pondered her words "A devil fruit, you think?"

Nami nodded gulping as much air as she could despite the oxygen being restricted by the storm "Extremely possible, but it can't be a Marine, why would they endanger their own men?"

"Then who?"

The navigator paused as they came to an open door to turn a serious gaze full of worry onto the cook "I don't know, but I can't help the feeling that something bad happened."

Sanji gave a heavy swallow catching her meaning, he too had a sinking in his stomach that something was very, very wrong. No one had spoken about it, or mentioned it, but the Straw Hats had a strong enough bond that they knew when terrors befell a crew member.

It was an indescribable burning in their gut, something that stole away sleep and caused even the strongest member of the crew to chew on his nail and rock in anxiety. The Straw Hats were family, of this there was no doubt, and if there was one thing that could shake them to their very core it was one of their own having a brush with death. They had experienced this feeling many times, and every time they had escaped relatively unscathed, but if the look Nami gave him was any judge then there was a possibility that this time, they were too late.

Bursting forward and through the door, Sanji sighed in relief when they were freed from the ferocity of the gale outside. With a series of stunning kicks he proceeded to clear the way for Nami, watching as she analyzed their surroundings "Nami-swan, any idea where they're holding them?"

Nami pouted, unfamiliar with her surroundings before grabbing one of the Marines lying on the ground "Where are you holding my nakama?" she hissed as a demonic look full of bloodlust glinted in her eyes.

"O-One is downstairs in the dungeon!" the Marine squeaked his eyes wide and shaking with terror at the insane woman holding him by the hairs on the nape of his neck "the other is inside the laboratory up in the tower!"

"Let's go," Nami shouted dropping the man and giving a sneer as he began to blubber in relief on the floor.

The duo ran down to the basement skidding to a stop when they found Chopper alone in a cell his cheeks stained with tears "Chopper!"

The reindeer jolted his head snapping up so fast the cook winced in worry that Chopper may have given himself whiplash "Nami, Sanji!" Chopper bawled "Thank goodness! You have to save Zoro, he's not going to last much longer the Marines are trying to kill him!"

The two froze as the fear that had been building in their guts the whole time they were chasing the marine ship burst into full blown anxiety "What did they do?" Nami quavered as trembling hands picked the lock of the cell.

"Th-They," Chopper sniffled before crying "they forced him to eat t-two different kinds of D-Devil Fruit, and he did it to s-s-save me!"

The reindeer fell into Nami's arms after the door opened and wept hopelessly into her shirt, guilt pouring from him in waves. Sanji stumbled back from where he stood, noticing Nami's back tense as the words sunk in "B-But," the cook stammered one shaking hand clutching blond locks "no one has ever survived that…right?"

Chopper gave a grieved nod "I'm so s-sorry," he wailed "I tried to stop him, but the man in charge here said he would poison us if one of us didn't do it and Zoro wouldn't let me eat it either because he said it was easier to replace a swordsman than a doctor!"

Sanji clenched an elegant fist fury rising within him at those words "That self-sacrificing jerk, he just doesn't get it does he?!" the cook snarled before exploding "He's not that easy to replace!"

Nami nodded while Chopper cast hopeful eyes up at Sanji "Please, you have to go save him and get him to the infirmary as soon as possible. If he's under my care there's a chance he could survive!"

"Don't worry Chopper," the cook huffed as he lit a cigarette and ground it between his teeth "if there's anyone in this world that has a chance of surviving eating two Devil Fruit, it's that idiot."

Spinning on his heel the cook took off out of the dungeons, amazingly ignoring Nami's call and sprinted up to the tower where the Marine said his friend and rival was being held. Hopefully Zoro's stubbornness was proving an ally against the Devil Fruit, and if not, well then Sanji would just have to give him some much needed motivation fueled by a few well-placed insults. In no time at all the chef had arrived at the room in question and as he slid to a stop he spun his leg around in a powerful round house kick that sent the door flying off its hinges and slamming into the opposite wall.

Sanji clopped into the room his heart hammering in his chest as a stark fear at what he might find rose its head like a venomous snake. He didn't have to wait long to find out.

For there in the corner, huddled in the fetal position and positively dripping with blood was the swordsman. The cook ran over as he dug around for the baby den-den mushi in his pocket to alert everyone that Zoro had been found but stopped when the man curled into himself ever tighter his fingers clawing at the stone, and a strangled mewl of agony whispering past bared bloody teeth. A snarl curled Sanji's lips at the sight and he had to fight to restrain himself from crushing the baby den-den.

Someone was going to pay…

 **How was that? Dramatic enough for you?**

 **REVIEW please!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello everyone I hope you're enjoying One of a Kind, I'm enjoying the reviews thus far and if anyone is wondering this is after the Time Skip.**

"Everyone, I found him. We're in the tower, I'm going to bring him down. Chopper, you might want to prep the infirmary."

Sanji clicked the den-den shut, not waiting for a response. Time was of the essence, and if Zoro's current condition was any indication then they were running out of it…fast! Kneeling down to begin his first attempt at moving the man who was like a brother, the cook breathed out a sigh when the swordsman whimpered at the slightest touch. Slowly sliding his hands as gently as possible underneath the broad shoulders, Sanji pulled Zoro into what could best be described as the world's most awkward hug. Mostly for the fact that this was the first time Sanji had ever considered hugging the man, also because he was worried about hurting the swordsman worse and ruining his chances of survival by jostling him too much. So in an effort to brace him in a way that allowed the cook a little more leeway on deciding how to transport him down the tower, Sanji swallowed his pride in deference to caring for his friend.

Speaking of which, he really wasn't looking too well. Blood trickled down his chin pouring from both his mouth and nose as ragged coughs sprayed more of the crimson liquid onto Sanji's pristine dress shirt. His body, which had been convulsing earlier had given way to feeble trembling, something that worried the cook more than comforted. His fever had felt like it had risen in the few moments they were stalled here, and Sanji honestly didn't like how faint the heartbeat felt through the thin cotton shirt currently adorning the moss head's frame.

A green eye dulled by pain fluttered open to see the chef holding him upright and a garbled rasp slipped between clenched teeth "S-Sanji?"

"Yeah, it's me moss head," the blond smirked.

"Ch-Chop-per?" the whispered query was as strained as it was soft, Sanji barely caught it.

"He's fine, Nami's already taken him back to the ship."

Zoro nodded wincing even as that small movement caused immeasurable pain to spike through his skull. Sanji's words had flooded him with relief and as the realization that Chopper was safe and cared for swept through, the last of Zoro's strength melted away and his eye rolled into the back of his head leaving the man a boneless heap as he fell unconscious.

Sanji was barely able to catch him before moss met stone, and looking around, the blond groaned at the prospect of carrying the hulking mass down the endless flight of stairs he had sprinted up not even five minutes before. Bracing his chin on the green head the cook contemplated his next move.

Moving the swordsman could be detrimental to his health, but staying put wasn't helping either. He had to get him down quickly and regardless of the hassle, carrying the man was his best shot. With a nod of determination, Sanji set about his work, grimacing at the haggard breaths that gasped into failing lungs. Blood dripped all around him, plopping onto the floor like rubies as blood vessels burst under Zoro's skin from the stress of the transformation. Sanji fought back a gag at the thought of their swordsman being so vulnerable. It was unthinkable not to mention wrong that Zoro of all people would require saving. He had only been in that position once before, and Sanji hated it then as much as he hated it now.

At least he now had the crew to help him, Sanji thought sadly. The cook didn't know much about Zoro's life before Luffy recruited him, and honestly neither asked about past history. However he was certain that the life of a bounty hunter was a lonely one. Despite his past as a pirate hunter though, Zoro had proven his loyalty in blood sweat and tears. Sanji trusted him, underneath all the bristling rage and cruel insults that they threw at each other the chef knew that they had reached an understanding. No one else except maybe the crew saw it but somewhere over the years the rivals had grown from sparring partners, to friends and then to brothers. And it was just as the saying goes, no one was allowed to pick on their sibling but them. Sanji took that extremely personally, as he knew so did Zoro. They could fight, and still have each other's back, but God help the idiot who insulted either to the other's face.

Rearranging Zoro into somewhat of a piggy back, the chef thanked his lucky stars that Zeff had ensured that he have such strong legs before proceeding out the door. By the time he reached the bottom of the stairs, Sanji was both pleased that his crew had completely wrecked the place (leaving unconscious Marines strewn everywhere) and concerned because the already shallow breaths puffing on the back of his neck where Zoro lay were growing fainter.

Sanji dashed across the main hall in a sprint, rocketing across the lawn vaguely noting that the wind had inexplicably died down.

Pursing his lips in careful thought even as his dress shoes clopped along the flagstone floor, the cook allowed himself a wry grin "Well, looks like we know what one of those fruit you ate were, I'm sure Nami-swan could put wind abilities to good use."

Zoro shifted, and Sanji's hope rose like a glistening bubble that the swordsman was somehow going to answer with a snarled reply like always, however that bubble was decimated with an audible pop. The swordsman coughed, but it came out more like a strangled gargle, and that's when he stopped breathing altogether.

The swordsman lunged off of the thin back holding him to convulse on the floor, his throat and chest caught in an endless spasm as he writhed. Desperate hands clawed leaving bloody trails down his neck and chest while a breathless gurgle echoed in the base of a now tight throat. Sanji scrambled to gather the man back up but was firmly denied as Zoro continued to thrash.

"Come on marimo, I can't help if you don't let me!"

"Sanji!"

The cook whirled around to see Luffy sprinting towards him, his features wreathed in concern "What happened?"

The blond breathed a sigh, the very presence of the indomitable captain bringing peace to the already frazzled mind "The Marines forced Zoro to eat two Devil Fruit as a way of execution," he reported watching as a drastic change overcame the rubber man.

If anyone understood Zoro better than anyone else, it was Luffy. The two of them had a way of conversing that required no words, all they had to do was give each other a look and an entire conversation had been had and understood. So it was only natural that the only person other than Sanji who truly comprehended why Zoro did not want to eat a Devil Fruit was Luffy. Even when they were in Dressrosa Luffy had known that the chances of Zoro or Sanji eating the flare-flare fruit was nil. The captain understood that Sanji and Zoro wanted strength that came from and had been earned by them and not through a Devil Fruit. More than that though, the fact that these Marines dared lay a hand on his First Mate and attempt to execute him in a way that tainted the warrior's pride was unforgiveable.

Fury rolled off the rubber man in palpable waves as powerful fists clenched at his sides hard enough to draw blood. The signature straw hat shadowed Luffy's eyes even as his mouth twisted into a fierce snarl. However, Sanji knew that Zoro's time was limited and diminishing fast, they had not even a second to spare on pleasantries much less vengeance.

"Luffy," Sanji pleaded "I know you're mad, I'm livid. They _will_ pay for this, but we have to get Zoro to Chopper **now**."

The captain looked down at his first mate, the anger burning in cobalt eyes dying down to a deep sorrow. With a gravity and seriousness that was only seen in the captain when one of their own was threatened, Luffy stooped down to grasp Zoro's shaking form and hoist him over one shoulder. Slamming his fist into the ground, Luffy cast determined eyes up to the door.

" **Gear Second** "

The quiet declaration was accompanied by the familiar sight of steam rising from the flushed rubber body, and in a split second the captain was merely a mirage drifting through the air. Sanji finally allowed himself to breathe, sliding down to his knees with a relieved exhale as the stress left him feeling weak.

"Sanji-san!"

The cook's uncovered eye swung to the right as he saw Brook running towards him, Robin close behind "Where is Zoro-san and Chopper-san?" the skeleton asked his skeletal face somehow conveying worry.

"They should be back on the ship by now," Sanji replied a sudden weariness overtaking him making his limbs feel as though they weighed ten tons "but Zoro…"

Robin watched Sanji, her keen aquiline gaze taking in every detail. There was a grief that lurked in the corners of his eyes, and anxiety pulled his mouth down into a frown that did not belong on the normally carefree face. But the thing that caused her heart to freeze in her chest was the stark terror swimming in the depths of baby blue eyes. Something about the emotion, so raw and so full of hopelessness made the archaeologist's breath catch in her throat.

"What about Kenshi-san?" she murmured, heart hammering against her ribs for fear of the answer.

The chef gave a heavy swallow, exhaling a shuddering breath as he struggled to gather the words that had been repeating in the back of his mind since the first time he heard Chopper utter them "Zoro, the Marines force fed him two Devil Fruit. They meant to execute him."

Robin sucked in a sharp gasp, and Brook's head drooped in mourning "How…" the skeleton murmured grief dripping from every syllable "how was he?"

Sanji shook his head, sitting down so to draw his knees up to his chest and brace an elbow on one leg. Burying his face into his hand, the chef shrugged helplessly "I can't even begin," Sanji stumbled to a stop as his words dried up "I mean, he's…he's survived worse…right?"

Brook and Robin exchanged looks of concern over the cook, if Sanji was seeking comfort from them, then the situation was very grave indeed. With a steadying breath, Robin knelt down and pulled Sanji into a hug "Of course he has, of course,"

Elegant hands gripped the woman holding him and as silence fell in the main hall, the family could only pray that they were correct.

…..

"CHOPPER!"

The reindeer flung open the infirmary door, watching Luffy flash inside and immediately shifted to Heavy point so to assist in getting Zoro into a bed "Zoro isn't breathing." Luffy gasped.

"Nami, I need you to get me a scalpel and a clear tube from the drawer," Chopper ordered eerily calm as he concentrated on saving his nakama's life.

The red head nodded rushing to get the requested items while Luffy stood by, his hands clenching and unclenching as he bit his bottom lip anxiously "What can I do?"

Chopper looked up, very nearly considering telling him to leave but one look at his captain's face caused him to change his mind "Hold him down," Chopper replied seriously "I can't help him if he's moving around too much."

The raven haired youth set to bracing Zoro against the bed, immediately gritting his teeth as his muscles visibly strained with the effort it took to hold down the swordsman "I'm back!" Nami panted handing over the knife and tube.

Chopper bent over Zoro's shaking frame and quickly cut a neat line near the base of the man's throat, before sticking the tube into the slice and pushing it down Zoro's esophagus. Nami suppressed a gag turning around so she didn't have to watch, her lily white hands covering her mouth as she fought the bile creeping up her throat. The effect was immediate, the broad chest lifted as a rattling gasp whistled through the tube signaling that oxygen was reaching struggling lungs. Chopper taped the tube down, ensuring that it wouldn't move, then turned to his library of books and bottles of medicines.

"Nami, retrieve a bowl and fill it with water, we can clean Zoro up as best we can and try to lower his fever at the same time." The reindeer directed his small hoof reaching for the book on Devil Fruit he had been studying not even the week before.

"Right," the girl nodded jogging out the door and into the galley.

Flipping the pages Chopper addressed his captain "Luffy, you need to tie down Zoro, he might unconsciously hurt himself or us and we need to take precautions that that doesn't happen."

Luffy sighed, but did as he was told, going to dig in the linen closet before tearing one of the sheets into strips. It wasn't much, but Luffy didn't want to use rope or chains, that seemed too harsh on the man who sacrificed so much for his crew. At the very least the sheet will be a tad gentler in restraining the moss haired man. As the captain set about the heavy task of tying the man down, Luffy cocked his head when he noticed something odd.

"Hey Chopper,"

Chopper turned to face his captain, a questioning glance on his brow when Luffy pointed to Zoro's arms "Is this normal?"

The reindeer peered closely before his eyes widened in shock. Dark stripes appeared standing out in stark contrast to the now pale trembling skin. At the same time, the swordsman's nails grew into sharpened points and then retracted. Zoro groaned when the changes roiled across his body making his skin ripple visibly, his skull shifting to a more feline look before reverting back to its original form. The wind outside picked up with a howl and the swordsman's hand jerked against the restraints as if to attempt to cradle his head. Powerful legs pulled and tugged at the sheets tying him to the bed, but he could find no relief from the sudden wave afflicting him. With a tortured wail the man's back arched and the gale grew to a shriek battering the window making it shake and shudder.

Nami came back inside, watching the physical changes taking place and hearing the wind pummel the ship "I knew it," she murmured "it's him isn't it, it's one of the Devil Fruit he ate?"

"Yes," Chopper nodded stopping at a page to point at a Devil Fruit whose picture matched one of the fruits Zoro had eaten "I think that judging by what we are seeing, it is safe to assume that he has a Zoan type and a Logia type."

"Zoan and Logia," Luffy murmured as he grasped a rag Nami handed him and proceeded to help the navigator sponge off the dried blood "it looks like he's turning into a tiger,"

"And he has power over the wind," Nami added with a small smile before heaving a breath "Chopper, be honest, what are his chances?"

The reindeer shook his head "I don't know. I think Zoro may have gotten lucky, because a Zoan and a Logia has a chance of mixing better than some; but regardless we have to understand that no one has ever survived this before, Zoro may have been capable of surviving so much before this but we have no idea what lies before us now. I plan on giving it everything I have, but I even I have to admit that this is unknown territory…for everyone."

Nami and Luffy turned to face each other, their features identical in their concern. Will Zoro survive, they didn't know but they would do everything to ensure he could. For now, they would stay by his side and watch over their swordsman in this newest twist in their adventure.

 **Chapter 3! YAY! Ok, so let me know what you think. Yes, Zoro has a wind fruit and a tiger fruit, it seemed the ones that would suit our favorite swordsman the best.**

 **REVIEW please!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Well here we are with chapter 4, I'm glad everyone is enjoying it so far!**

Zoro wasn't sure where he was.

Pitch black surrounded him save for the five foot long circle lit around him by a mysterious source. The swordsman rose to his feet from where he had been laid on his back, his knees threatening to buckle as they gave a worrying shake. Heavy pants heaved his chest up and down, as an exhausted green eye scanned the area.

"He-Hello?" Zoro's voice was hoarse cracking halfway through as he turned every which way "Luffy? Sanji? Chopper? An-Anyone?"

The moss headed man doubled over as a coughing fit overwhelmed him and a muscular hand massaged his throat "Where am I?" he rasped.

" _ **Well see, that's a difficult question,"**_

Zoro whirled towards the source of the voice, one hand flying to his hip only for his one eye to widen at the realization that his swords were not present. Looking back towards the direction of the speaker the man grit his teeth in aggravation "Who are you?" he snarled.

" _ **Heh,"**_ a different voice hissed from the opposite side _ **"the proper question would be 'who are we?'"**_

"Huh?"

The first voice sighed with an audible growl, and the man could almost see a large paw being dragged down a large muzzle _**"He's a real genius, this one."**_

" _ **Oh come now Tora,"**_ the second voice chuckled _**"this is the first time that two Devil Fruit have ever coincided in the same user. That must at the very least make him special, right?"**_

" _ **True,"**_ Tora replied with a wry grin that glinted in the dark _**"most Devil Fruit destroy each other upon impact, I wonder why this time is different, eh Kaze?"**_

Kaze's barely visible shoulders gave a careless shrug _**"Who knows, maybe we both happen to be tired of living alone and unacknowledged by our users. You have to admit, this is the first time any of my users actually heard my voice."**_

" _ **Indeed,"**_ Tora rumbled with a pleased purr _**"so many books concerning Devil Fruit and not even the smallest article concerning the Spirits that live within."**_

"You're the spirits of the Devil Fruit?" Zoro queried growing tired of the conversation.

" _ **Yes, or more precisely…your Devil Fruit."**_ Kaze released a blast of air that knocked Zoro off his already wobbly feet.

Zoro rolled from the force of the wind to the edge of the lit circle only to jump back with a yelp when razor sharp tiger claws swiped at him from the shadows accompanied by a roar. The swordsman crab walked backwards until he reached the center of his small area, but his eyes were calculating, showing not fear but only strategic caution. Regaining his footing, the swordsman cast a determined gaze on the darkness surrounding him.

"So what now," he growled "you both tag team and attempt to kill me?"

" _ **No, not yet at least,"**_ Kaze replied.

"Not yet?" Zoro scoffed "What does that mean?"

" _ **Have you ever heard of 'awakened Devil Fruit'?"**_ Tora queried waiting until Zoro had shaken his head _**"Awakened Devil Fruit are rare users who have come in contact with the spirits of their Devil Fruit, dueling them in a space similar to this. If they come out victorious, then they gain more abilities making them even stronger than when they had first eaten the fruit. In essence they become a completely new user with upgraded power."**_

"And if they lose?"

Tora gave a toothy grin _**"Then they die,"**_

Zoro shook his head as the words sunk in "So where is this place anyway?"

" _ **We are in a dimension between life and the afterlife,"**_ Kaze answered _**"it is almost like the headspace that you achieve when meditating. You could even say that you are on the outskirts of the spirit world."**_

The swordsman nodded slowly as he crossed his arms across the well-toned chest "So why are awakened Devil Fruit so rare, and why aren't I dead yet?"

" _ **You want to take this one Kaze?"**_ Tora gave a yawn his long pink tongue curling inside a fang lined maw _**"I'm tired and in need of a nap,"**_

Kaze chuckled _**"Like we said, few people know that the spirits exist. They think that the power lies within the fruit itself, and only some talk about the devils that live inside, but many are not even aware that a separate consciousness resides within. It takes a very special kind of warrior to be capable of accessing his inner sanctum and essentially meet the spirit of their fruit."**_

Zoro nodded casting a bemused glance at Tora who was now snoring loudly "That makes sense, but as for my second question, why aren't I dead?"

The Devil Fruit spirit shrugged _**"I have no idea, I have never had a user capable of awakening much less was stupid enough to eat two fruit, and as far as I know neither has Tora. However based on the common knowledge concerning our kind, most Devil Fruit spirits tear each other apart fighting over territory destroying the user in the process."**_

" _ **We on the other hand are rather lazy spirits. Tora is strong, intelligent and capable of giving his user immeasurable power…provided that he gets his daily naps plus snacks. I am wild and free, as I am wind incarnate and capable of providing my user with the kind abilities that some could only dream of, but only if I have enough food afterwards to make up for all the calories burned."**_

"So I'm not dead because," Zoro paused before a laughing grin adorned his mouth "you like your naps and snacks."

" _ **Well that,"**_ Kaze smirked _**"and like I said, we're somewhat lazy. I've been around for years, so has Tora. We are more than usually alone in our user's headspace watching their experiences and fighting boredom, do you have any idea how lonely that is? I don't feel like fighting the first bit of company that I've had in hundreds of years, and Tora just wants to be free to take his naps. Honestly, you're lucky you got two lazy spirits, anyone else and you'd be dead."**_

Zoro pouted glaring at the spirit "If you aren't fighting over territory then why is my body still being torn apart?"

" _ **Ah, yeah, about that,"**_ Kaze scratched his chin thoughtfully _**"unfortunately Devil Fruit powers change you down to your DNA. Tora is a Zoan, mixing the physical DNA of one animal with the DNA of a human. I am wind and my abilities allow you to turn into wind as well as control it, but I do not have physical DNA like you or Tora, it is like oil mixing with water, it's going to hurt but if you're strong enough maybe we'll eventually reach a happy place."**_

"Ok," The swordsman sighed, taking a seat on the floor and massaging his temples with two fingers "I think I understand, but what about the abilities? Since I came in contact with you now, you should be able to tell me how to use them, right?"

" _ **Heh,"**_ a snort came from Tora who raise his head off mighty paws to chuff at the man with amused topaz eyes _**"actually this is an accident, you have only met us due to the fact that your body is currently in a deep coma and the trauma of the transformation allowed us enough leeway to speak to you directly. However we lack the ability to meet you face to face and are forced to stay in the shadows. This is a one-time thing, you alone must seek the power to find us again and the only time that will happen is when you are strong enough for the duel to awaken your fruit."**_

"When I awaken my powers," Zoro stated noting how a pleased purr resonated within Tora's throat at the man's confidence "will I be able to speak to you then?"

" _ **It is only logical,"**_ Kaze cut in _**"however from here on out you will be on your own and will have to learn your new abilities and reconcile the different sides of both fruit by yourself. It will be a difficult road, and you will experience more pain, frustration and emotional turmoil than you ever have before. Be prepared for the battle ahead, because every second of every day will be one giant war to survive and live life in some version of normality."**_

" _ **Also you need to know that your pain will be double that of normal users,"**_ Tora added, his feline gaze serious _**"the sea will not just weaken you, it will attempt to kill you. Sea stone will not just sap your strength, it will burn your skin. The agony suffered by other users will be pittance compared to the torment you will be forced to endure."**_

Zoro deflated at their words but shook his head in defiance, he was the future World's Greatest Swordsman, he could handle this "Fine, but what about-?"

" _ **I'm sorry, but your time is up,"**_ Kaze suddenly howled as a bright light shone overhead.

The swordsman grimaced, shielding his eyes as the light began to grow brighter still with every minute that passed "Wait, I need to ask-!"

" _ **No, it is time you leave,"**_ Tora roared his tail lashing behind him _**"depend on your crew, and do not lose your determination."**_

….

Zoro awoke with a jerk and a startled cry, his chest heaving as a wild green eye took in his environment. A snort accompanied by a bang sounded on his right making the swordsman whirl around to see Sanji sitting up and rubbing his head. Zoro smirked, his brain putting two and two together that the cook must have fallen asleep on the desk bracing his face with one hand and awoken when the head fell off and smacked onto the desk.

"You ok, dartboard?" Zoro noticed that his voice was soft and gravelly from disuse and probably all the screaming he had been doing and a couple coughs came through as his throat was irritated from the effort of talking.

Sanji jumped with a yelp and shocked baby blue eyes slowly looked up to see an awake swordsman smiling in supreme amusement "Z-Zoro…you're…awake?"

"Jeez nosebleed, you hit your head harder than I thought?" the man chuckled before clearing his throat "Got any water over there?"

The chef nodded scrambling for a glass and the pitcher of water standing by "Sorry, it's just…you've been out for almost two weeks," Sanji stammered shaking hands pouring the liquid "we didn't expect you to wake up since your fever only just broke last night."

"Two weeks?!" Zoro shook his head struggling to pull himself into a sitting position only to stop when the cook bent over to help "I've been out that long?"

Sanji nodded, piling pillows behind his rival before handing him his glass.

The cook couldn't believe it, he wanted to pinch Zoro just to check if he was real, but decided not to on the chance that the man take out his revenge. The past fourteen days had honestly been a hellish blur. Between the entire crew taking turns sitting with the moss head, the innumerable amount of ice baths they had to give him to bring the raging fever down and how many times Chopper had to resuscitate Zoro after his heart inexplicably stopped the cook was, in a word, exhausted. Both emotionally and physically. However when his fever broke last night, they crew celebrated with a well-deserved night of rest. Chopper was even convinced to go to sleep, providing that Sanji promise to get him should anything change.

Zoro glanced at his friend, his brow furrowing in worry "Is everyone alright?"

Sanji released a bark of laughter before shaking an aggravated head at the man "Of course you would be worrying about everyone else." He growled though his eyes held no real anger "Here you are practically on your deathbed and the first question you ask is about the crew's safety. Do you have any idea what we've been through just keeping _you_ alive? We lost you almost a dozen times, and Chopper had to restart your heart at least once a day."

"I repeat," Zoro's eye was dead serious and his frown conveyed the worry plaguing his heart "is everyone alright?"

Sanji released a sigh before giving a hesitant nod "We're ok. I mean nothing has been the same, and with the threat of you dying from eating two Devil Fruit hanging over our heads every second, I'm sure you know it hasn't exactly been a party, but we're surviving."

Zoro nodded before a mischievous smirk quirked one side of his mouth "Come on dartboard, help me go outside,"

Baby blue eyes shot up and the fear that Zoro had seen lurking in their depths from the moment he woke up came back to the forefront "But what if you relapse?! Chopper would never forgive me if I let you out of the infirmary so quickly after you just woke up and something happened."

"Sanji," Zoro whined already feeling claustrophobic from the small room before giving what he hoped was a consoling grin at the cook "what better way to return things to normal than me making a jail break?"

Sanji blinked, pausing a moment before a snort exploded from his lips turning into full-fledged laughter "You know," he guffawed "you're right."

Zoro scoffed "Of course I'm right, now get me out of here already!"

Sanji shook his head fondly at the all too familiar demand and with a few obligatory grumbles eventually had Zoro back on his feet with one muscular arm wrapped around thin shoulders "Ready to go?"

The swordsman replied with a firm nod "Ready as I'll ever be."

The duo shuffled their way out of the infirmary and through the galley which was amazingly vacant. Zoro breathed in the familiar air of the meeting place where so many games and dinners had taken place, suddenly filled with nostalgia as if he had been absent for much longer than two weeks. He could smell everything in here, the scents of the ingredients Sanji used while cooking, odors of his crew mates and even the smells of past objects brought in and eventually moved out. Suddenly the swordsman paused, his nose twitched and a snuffle followed by a sneeze rocked his frame.

"You ok?" Sanji asked, his body tense and ready to drag Zoro back to the infirmary if need be.

"Yeah," Zoro replied shaking his head "it's just this place smells way too strong of the spices you like."

Sanji's brow furrowed opening his mouth to reply that he didn't smell a thing, when he decided with a shrug to just roll with it "If you say so, marimo,"

The two continued their slow walk to the galley door, Zoro stomach rumbling softly when he suddenly caught the scent of salmon "Hey cook, you gonna grill salmon tonight?"

This time Sanji stopped to cast an incredulous gaze on his rival "Yea," he said slowly "how did you know?"

"Good," the swordsman nodded "you better cook it, because it positively reeks. Don't want it to go bad, you know."

Sanji raised an eyebrow this time speaking his mind "Zoro, I don't smell anything. The fish is fresh, caught just this morning by Luffy and Usopp."

"What is your sense of smell gone with half your brains, how can you not smell it?!" Zoro snapped back.

Sanji growled before pulling him forward "Let's just get you outside where everyone can watch you and I can get back to important stuff that matters."

"Oh you mean like ogling the girls?"

"SHUT IT, MARIMO!"

 **So I'm going to leave it right here, let me know what you think, and I'm looking forward to reading your reviews!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Wow, I'm loving all of your reviews and so happy that you guys are enjoying the fic.**

 **Just FYI, Zoro will be going through some growing pains while getting used to his new abilities, so if he seems a little OOC, please understand that his entire world has been turned upside down and on top of that he has all these new powers and instincts that he has to learn how to deal with.**

 **All in all, enjoy!**

Zoro hated it, this strange new weakness. His legs shook with every step and he could feel the cook's hands tighten every time his knees almost buckled and then loosen once he had regained his footing. It was irritating to say the least, especially when his throat would inexplicably close up making the man pause so to endure a short coughing fit, which only made the simple matter of walking across the galley that much more tedious. Each time something happened that would halt their progress Sanji would give him a worried look full of fear and concern, something that did not belong on the blond man's face. At least not when it was directed at him.

Zoro waved away yet another silent query on whether he was really alright or if they needed to go back to the infirmary after he recovered from yet another coughing fit "I'm fine dartboard," the swordsman rasped "just get me on the deck and I promise that I'll lay down and rest out there."

Sanji scoffed rolling his eyes "Like I haven't heard that before," he grumbled "knowing you, the moment we aren't looking you'll be picking up one of your weights."

Zoro glanced down at a fist and sighed as he clenched it, noticing how badly it trembled "You won't have to worry about that, at least not today."

The cook also noticed how badly Zoro's body had begun shaking and how it was growing worse the longer he was on his feet. Gritting his teeth and getting a stronger grip on the moss headed man, Sanji strode forward, determined to get the Zoro resting on one of the lawn chairs outside before he passed out from sheer stupidity.

Zoro breathed a sigh of relief once they had finally reached the galley door, relishing the sunshine that came pouring through enveloping his body when the cook opened it. The swordsman closed his eyes as a rumbling purr resonated deep in his chest vibrating all along his arms. Sanji cast a slow glance at the man, noting that Zoro was completely unaware of the sound. The cook pursed his lips, trying desperately to stifle any snickers that were threatening to overwhelm him. Now things made sense, why Zoro could smell things he couldn't. Their swordsman was part tiger now after all, it would only make sense that he would start acting like an overgrown house cat.

The sudden image of Zoro with kitty ears playing with a yarn ball popped unbidden into the cook's head, and any progress he had made mere moments before in not laughing immediately dissolved. With a snort the blond exploded into gut busting laughter making Zoro whirl around to cast a confused emerald eye on the man.

"Uh…you ok?"

Sanji nodded, then shook his head then could only shrug as he continued to giggle helplessly when the images kept pouring in of a Zoro kitty hybrid. Before long he was pawing at the air with one hand making kitty noises which only served to crack him up further; and if he was physically able, Zoro would have slowly edged away from him and whatever it was that was making the cook act so weird.

"You know, right when I think you couldn't get any more creepy, you prove me wrong." The swordsman grumbled "Are you feeling alright, you haven't gone insane have you?"

"Possibly," the blond chuckled before giving Zoro a look loaded with personal amusement as he thought of all the possibilities for blackmail that was now going to be afforded to him "quite possibly."

"Hmph," Zoro narrowed a now suspicious green eye at the man "well let's just hope it isn't catching."

"Please," Sanji scoffed with a petulant grin "on this crew everyone has a touch of madness."

"True," Zoro nodded as they began to walk through the door "you'd have to be mad just to make it past recruitment."

"ZORO!"

"Speaking of madness," Sanji muttered fondly "here comes our dear captain."

Sure enough Luffy was the first to notice the duo walk out of the galley and onto the deck. A wide grin split his face nearly in half, and in under a second he was off like a shot sprinting across the lawn with every intention of tackling his First Mate. Zoro winced, expecting the hug and the inevitable pain that would come with it on impact. Just before Luffy hit though, the swordsman found himself wistfully thinking how nice it would be if just this once he got away without one of Luffy's signature hugs, or if the boy didn't touch him at all.

That was when things got weird, because right as Zoro was considering Luffy not being able to touch him, the captain flew right through Zoro. Not over, not past, not even under. Through.

The sensation of someone passing through his body was one of the weirdest things Zoro had ever felt in his life. One minute he was solid, the next he wasn't. Luffy was also pretty surprised, especially considering he sailed through the open door Zoro had just come through and then tumbled head over heels across the galley before smacking into the infirmary door. The swordsman watched his captain with slack jawed shock before looking down at his abdomen. Sanji reached forward and gave the swordsman a tentative poke, smirking when Zoro gave a jerk (evidence to his being ticklish, despite Zoro trying to keep it secret).

Eventually the two men turned their gaze up from Zoro's stomach to look each other in the eye "What," Zoro mumbled his one good eye wide with startled confusion "just happened?"

"Uh, I'm not sure," was the only reply Sanji could manage.

"It appears Kenshi-san went intangible," Robin suggested the archaeologist allowing a sly smile to quirk her mouth "he did eat the kaze-kaze fruit after all."

"Intangible," Zoro repeated the word slowly, tasting every syllable as it rolled off his tongue "That's…kind of weird."

"No kidding!" Usopp wailed "and super creepy!"

"Well, weird is already part of our daily life," Nami shrugged pushing Usopp roughly to the side with a scolding glance for being insensitive before giving a consoling smile to their swordsman "however after everything you've been through, I guess we'll just have to make room for a little more."

"ZORO!" an irate Chopper wailed "what are you doing out of the infirmary?!"

The swordsman sighed "I hate it in there," he whined "can't I rest out here?"

"No, you'll start training as soon as my back is turned!"

Zoro groaned "Come on Chopper, I promise I won't. Just let me stay on deck."

Chopper paused taking in the pleading look Zoro was giving him and heaved a resigned groan "Fine," he barked ignoring the happy smirk the swordsman gave him "but no training, AT ALL! You rest and focus on getting better, that's it."

"Speaking of which," Franky cut in pushing his sunglasses up onto his head so to give Zoro a serious glance "how are you feeling bro?"

Honestly? Not well, but no way was he telling the crew that. The last thing they needed was yet another reason to worry. The main reason he came out here was to alleviate said concern. Zoro started to tell his usual lie and say he was fine, but just as he opened his mouth a sudden weariness fell over him thick as a wool blanket making his knees quiver and his hand clench Sanji's shoulder for support. His vision spun turning into a kaleidoscope of Technicolor as his footing wobbled alerting the cook of his impending collapse.

With his best glare and most careless scoff, Sanji pushed through the worried crowd to dump Zoro onto a lawn chair as if he were suddenly tired of supporting the man. Zoro fell back against the chair, vertigo attacking his senses, but still coherent enough to flick a lightning fast smile of gratitude at the man saving him from an embarrassing situation, i.e. fainting in front of the entire crew. Sanji caught the small thanks and proceeded to cover for Zoro's sudden weakness.

"What do you think? He's barely recovered but insisted on whining until I agreed to bring him out here. So if you'll excuse me, I have better things to do than babysit a half dead moss ball."

Nami and Robin, not fooled for an instant, cast each other knowing glances before giving giggles of amusement. Brook nodded, appreciating the sibling relationship between the two, but his focus being on the moss headed man panting on the lawn chair.

Nausea afflicted Zoro making bile crawl up his throat, and the swordsman was attempting to take the deep even breaths necessary to combat it. The wind all around the ship wasn't helping matters. Every time the smallest breeze hit him he was assaulted with images, sounds and smells from all the nearby islands within a hundred miles of the ship. His brain was struggling to process the blur of information being dumped into it, but it was finding itself sadly lacking in its ability to do so. A migraine pierced his skull making Zoro's face scrunch in pain as one hand cradled his head.

Another breeze rocked him and suddenly the swordsman was transported fifty miles across the water into the open market of a nearby island. His mind's eye whipped through the market at a dizzying speed, catching snatches of hundreds of conversations as he blew past before flying high into the clouds kidnapping a crying girls red balloon as he went. For ages he rocketed up into the atmosphere until he started dropping at incredible speed to weave his way through the streets of yet another island. Screaming women were hanging their laundry, the wind snapping the sheets through the air only adding to his momentum. He sped into a playground, stealing a kite while children chased him yelling to give the thing back before he stuck it in a tree and moved on.

Further…further…island after island…town after town…Zoro barely remembered who he was anymore…where was home…what was he…was he wind…or human? He didn't know…he was flying…he was riding the wind…he was…lost…

"-Oro….Zor…ake up…ZORO!"

The man sat up with a gasp, his body shaking as he dimly realized that he had been having a seizure. Blood trickled down his lip from his nose and sharp gasps sucked into a clenched throat "Wha-?" Zoro attempted before his stomach convulsed and he skittered across the deck to the railing barely making it in time before vomiting blood into the sea.

"Oh my God," Nami murmured hurrying over to rub the tense shoulders of the panting swordsman "are you ok? What happened?"

Zoro shook his head weakly, giving a heavy swallow and grimacing at the sour tang of vomit "I don't know," he croaked slowly bracing his forehead on the cool wood of the railing "I don't know."

"Zoro, you were saying things, random words and stuff like that," Nami continued her face soft with worry "do you remember?"

The swordsman paused "I remember flying, on the wind," he rasped his eye becoming faraway and his gasping finally evening out "I saw islands, so many islands…and the noise….it was so loud and I went faster and faster…"

The memory of the speed made Zoro gag and he quickly raised his head as a dry heave caused his body to spasm for a good five minutes before he calmed again. Nami and chopper stood by, each waving away the concerned members of the crew so Zoro didn't have to have an audience viewing his weakness. From where he sat the swordsman suddenly realized that the galley wall blocked the brunt of the wind and he was spared any more strange visions of nearby islands. Zoro gave a grateful sigh, one green eye rolling back into his head, his trembling body slipping off the railing and falling to the floor in a faint.

Nami was barely able to catch the mossy head, grunting as the dead weight fell on her before depositing him in her lap. Chopper checked over his vitals, his eyes serious as he sighed "He's probably dehydrated, and his new abilities aren't making it easy on his body to catch up. The mere fact that he's accidentally activating his abilities when he's on an empty stomach is probably why he's so nauseas and tired. Zoro's going to have to double his annual liquid and calorie intake just to keep from passing out on a daily basis."

The navigator nodded before calling out for the one person who could help in such matters "Sanji!"

The cook was prompt, poking his head out the door to sing back "Yes, Nami-swan!"

The red head beckoned him over, and Sanji looked down to see Zoro passed out on the deck his head in Nami's lap. Anger burned in his heart at the moss headed idiot being allowed to lay in such a sacred position, but the telltale sign of blood staining his upper lip and chin caused his ire to burn down to a mere ember.

"Zoro had a seizure, something to do with his new powers," Nami reported her chocolate eyes melting with concern "Chopper says that he's probably dehydrated and the fact that he hasn't eaten in two weeks isn't helping him recover. Can you please make something?"

Sanji jerked back, a seizure? But he hadn't had one in over a week! Normally Zoro didn't suffer repercussions like this, he was the immovable mountain that was injured for a couple days and back to training as soon as he could sneak away. The blond man sighed, realizing for the first time that the Marimo's recovery was going to be a lot different from every other time he got injured and broke out of the infirmary. Taking one more glance down at the marimo, Sanji noted how his chest heaved up and down in strangled gasps and the broad shoulders trembling pitifully. No doubt the man will need a richer diet that consisted of red meat, fish and chicken just to make up for the calories he will inevitably burn. Not to mention he'll have to back off the booze (he's really not going to like that) considering that dehydrates the body. Rolling his eyes with a groan, the cook acquiesced.

"For you Nami-swan, anything,"

Nami smiled fondly, knowing that the cook really didn't mind cooking for the swordsman as much as he claimed "Thank you Sanji-kun!"

Looking back down towards her lap, she noticed a grimace flash across Zoro's face and her brow furrowed in worry. Was he still in pain? Well he had been gripping his head before he fell into that seizure, maybe he had a headache? With a hesitant hands, Nami slowly, tentatively began to massage his scalp. Thumbs kneading behind his ears and her long fingers rubbing along his head and the nape of his neck. Immediately his features smoothed out, and a purr rumbled in his chest making the girl giggle before catching herself when Zoro began to stir. After waiting a few seconds for him to settle down again, she continued the massage, a grin brightening her face when the purring resumed.

She was going to have so much fun teasing Zoro about this later…


	6. Chapter 6

**Here we go, yes I'm going to have fun with Zoro's new Kitty-ish behavior.**

 **If any of you are cat owners and have something funny that you would suggest Zoro could do, please share!**

The sun beat down on his body, filling every muscle and tendon with a comforting warmth. If he wasn't so weak and tired Zoro would have stretched with a contented sigh. Something soft caressed his head, lulling the swordsman ever deeper into the folds of sleep, making him wish that this, whatever it was, would never stop. It reminded him of when his mother was still alive, the way she used to run her fingers through his hair when he wasn't feeling well. Nostalgia filled him and a longing to see his mother bruised his heart making tears prick at his eyes. Zoro stifled the emotion though, the last thing he needed was to dig up old memories that had been long buried.

For now he would just revel in this little slice of heaven he was currently being allowed to enjoy.

Sanji strolled out of the galley bearing a cup and a plate that contained something to fill Zoro's stomach without ruining his appetite for dinner. He was particularly proud of himself for the preparation of said meal, it was one of his own personal recipes and the cook had been looking for an excuse to try it out on someone. Walking around the corner to where he last saw the marimo he stopped in his tracks at the sight that greeted his eyes.

Zoro still lay in Nami's lap, which was infuriating enough as it was, but now his lovely Nami-swan was running her hands through his hair. The man looked perfectly at peace with the world around him, even the deep furrow that seemed permanently carved between his eyebrows had smoothed out leaving Zoro looking like a completely different person. He looked younger and almost vulnerable, it was a strange sight to see when those words were being associated with the swordsman. Sanji, however, fumed; his blond locks looking fit to burst into flames, but then the navigator cast a mischievous chocolate gaze onto the cook forestalling the inevitable explosion and beckoned him over with a slender hand. Cocking one eyebrow, Sanji couldn't help but feel curious as he answered her call and stooped down to listen to her whispered giggle.

"Sanji, listen, what do you hear?"

The cook peeled his ears to find some odd sound that was out of the ordinary, and as Nami once again began caressing the Marimo's head, Sanji suddenly understood and had to stifle a bark of laughter "He's purring again," he noted.

"Again?" Nami was all ears now, her brown eyes glinting with mirth "He's done this before?"

Sanji shrugged giving a cough to smother any chuckles crawling up his throat "Just once when we first came outside, but it was pretty entertaining."

"Strange," The navigator murmured "I knew that he had eaten a Tiger fruit, but I never thought that there would be any major changes. I expected powers and abilities, but not him to take on characteristics of that animal."

"Well look at Chopper," the cook pointed out as he took a seat on the sun warmed deck beside the red head "he's a reindeer who ate the human fruit, and I would say he has some very human instincts and traits that probably wouldn't mesh well with ordinary reindeer."

"True," Nami nodded acquiescing his point "I still can't help but wonder what other surprises are in store when it comes to our survivor here."

Survivor, now there's a word that by all rights could be, but has never been, applied to Zoro before in the short history of the crew. His monumental strength, determination and sheer will to attain his dream at any cost made all his injuries pale in comparison to the man who bore them so well. However now Zoro went through something that, according to the history books, no one in the entire world has ever survived. Something so horrible and so agonizingly painful, death was the only outcome. He was well and truly a survivor, the Marines attempted to execute him and true to form Zoro shot down the inevitable with his signature smirk and impossible to kill life force. Sanji was almost jealous how Zoro could make what was truly a hellish experience look so easy.

Granted two weeks in a coma with his heart stopping almost every day and a raging fever was far from easy, and even now the crew were shocked to see the man bearing the consequences of his survival. Before now, no one had ever seen Zoro scream. Faint from blood loss and innumerable injuries taking their toll, yes, but the vulnerability he displayed when he fell into a seizure and mewled in heart wrenching agony? Never. True there was that one time on the archipelago, that horrible moment engraved in their memory when Kizaru shot Zoro down and the swordsman was too weak to even climb back up to his feet. But even then it wasn't a true cry of pain, not compared to the ones they heard the past fourteen days.

Sanji smirked and shook his head with ill-disguised fondness for the man who had become like a brother. Even know, Zoro would probably leap to his feet and run away like a scalded cat (pardon the pun) if he saw his current position, especially if he knew he was purring. The Straw Hats though were enjoying this rare look at their swordsman, true it creeped them out to no end just comprehending that for once they have to protect their protector, but it was something they still counted as a privilege that they were allowed to help him through it and no one else.

"You remember Lucci from the Galley-la company?"

Sanji's head snapped up at Nami's question before nodding his head, "Yeah, what about him?"

"Well he had a leopard, or cheetah whatever it was fruit. I just," Nami bit her bottom lip before a giggle slipped out "I can't help but wonder when Zoro will get cat ears and a tail?"

Sanji blinked before busting up in laughter, seeing that Nami's mind also traveled down the same train of thought his had just a short hour or so before "You know," he grinned "I was just thinking about that,"

Nami gave a bark of laughter before the two noticed Zoro beginning to stir, his nose scrunching as a slight groan resonated in the base of his throat "You better go," the cook murmured with a secretive smile "you know how grumpy he'll be if he finds out he was sleeping in your lap."

Nami rolled her eyes "No kidding, I'll leave getting him to eat to you."

As gently as possible the navigator deposited Zoro onto the deck and snuck away. Sanji waited until she was at least ten feet before reached down to flick the swordsman's nose as a way to prod him awake "Come on moss head," he spoke giving the man's cheek a poke "it's time to wake up."

Zoro moaned, one arm covering his eyes as his other hand swatted at the cook "Go 'way…"

Sanji chuckled at the childish behavior that was normally seen on the rare mornings when one of the crew had to wake Zoro up. Most knew Zoro as the sleepy member of the crew who was usually napping on deck, and to be honest, Sanji was one of them. However after a few years at sea and more than a few nights where he was on watch, the cook discovered that Zoro rarely slept more than three hours every night and spent the rest of the evening training or meditating. So to say that a day when Zoro overslept was rare, would be an understatement. It was one of those, if he was still in bed at dawn then the crew was either checking him for injuries or checking his temperature. This was the chief reason for why he didn't even bother to insult Zoro over his napping on deck anymore because Sanji knew how hard Zoro was working towards his dream.

"Trust me, you want to wake up." The cook grinned plugging Zoro's nose knowing this was a sure fire way to get him up and around.

Sure enough when the man could no longer draw breath through his nasal passages, Zoro's mouth opened to draw in a deep gasp and he shot up so to slap Sanji's hand off his face "Do you have any concept of personal space?!"

"Sure I do," Sanji shrugged "but you know when I want something I usually get it, no matter what lengths I have to go to for it."

Zoro glared at the blond "You're like the annoying little brother I never wanted," he pouted.

Sanji merely gave the man a toothy grin that almost rivaled Luffy's "Au contraire my friend, I think you're forgetting that out of the two of us…I'm older."

"Oh yeah, physically," Zoro spat his eyebrow twitching at the embarrassing reminder that Sanji was his sempai "but personality wise you're downright immature!"

"You wound me," the cook moaned playfully before shoving the plate under Zoro's nose "now would you mind eating this before it loses its flavor from getting too warm?"

The swordsman's nose twitched as he looked towards the plate and saw two sushi rolls lined neatly up with teriyaki sauce and spicy mayonnaise on top. His stomach rumbled loudly at the smell of the rice and fish making Zoro's face flush red when the cook laughed having heard his body's demand for food. Reaching out with as much restraint as he could muster, the swordsman took the plate and popped a piece in his mouth, his eye immediately closing in rapture. The various types of fish wrapped in a salty seaweed and white jasmine rice all with a creamy avocado center sent his taste buds into explosions of pleasure. Within minutes he had polished off the plate, licking his fingers and lips in satisfaction at his meal.

Sanji watched his friend eat, smiling when once again the purring thundered in his chest and this time the blond couldn't hold back a snicker. Zoro's eye opened slowly so to pin a steely glare on his rival "What," he snarled "is so funny?"

The cook sighed, knowing that it was better the moss head find out now rather than later, though he would have gladly enjoyed having the crew find out first before Zoro did "You're purring," Sanji replied simply.

Well if it was entertainment he wanted, it was entertainment he got; because Zoro's eye widened to proportions that should probably be considered impossible "I'm…what?" he mumbled, horror written across his features.

"Purring, you purr now." The cook smirked sadistic glee glinting in his blue eyes "I guess you got some new instincts or whatever when you ate the Tora-Tora fruit."

To accurately describe the change that came over Zoro's face would prove difficult, but you could say that he first went almost as green as his hair as his shoulders deflated, then his cheeks flushed bright pink all before his features lost all color whatsoever and became deathly pale. Slowly his head drooped, and one hand scrubbed his face. All the while Sanji sat looking quite like the cat that ate the canary, what with the grin stretching his face to epic proportions.

"Does anyone else know?" Zoro moaned without looking up or meeting the cook's eyes.

"Nah," Sanji chuckled "only me and Nami-swan."

"That's just…so wrong,"

The cook cracked up laughing a happy grin lighting his features "Yeah, but it's your reality now, even if you may not like it you have to admit it's better than the alternative."

Zoro gave an amused snort before heaving a sigh and raising his head "True enough, now what's in the cup?"

"Warm milk with wild honey," Sanji replied before glaring at the now grimacing swordsman "don't make that face! Chopper said that the reason you're so nauseas and dizzy is because you haven't eaten anything in two weeks. The sushi has four types of fish that are high in essential vitamins plus the milk and honey will give you an added boost of energy to help you last till dinner."

The swordsman took the cup with a grumble but found that his sense of smell was working overtime and his mouth was literally drowning in saliva at the scent of the warm milk. Zoro pouted, apparently his new tiger side was similar to cats in that it liked milk, how embarrassing, however he dutifully drank it, downing every last drop. He had to admit that the small afternoon snack was enjoyable, and even gave him some of his equilibrium back. Filling his belly had sent a shot of strength into his weary muscles and allowed his mind to become more alert to his surroundings. However the cook was snickering again, and judging by the shade of magenta his face had turned, Zoro could only imagine what he was laughing at.

"What now?"

Sanji covered his mouth with both hands shaking his head in a desperate attempt to stifle the giggles before he broke "…I tawt I taw a putty tat*,"

"Huh?"

Sanji snorted and rolled onto his back cackling in glee "I did, I did see a putty tat!"

"What is wrong with you?!"

"Oi Zoro,"

The swordsman turned to see Luffy walking up the stairs, no doubt investigating what the noise was about, and the rubber man's eyes were currently lit up like stars "Zoro, you look like a tiger!"

"EH?!"

Jumping to his feet Zoro bolted into the galley to the infirmary where he knew a mirror would be hanging over the bathroom sink. Upon seeing his image, the moss headed man sent a snarl at the glass. Sure enough, true to his captain's word, tiger ears rested on his head folded back against his soft hair. Two black stripes stretched across his cheekbones to rest under his eyes, while two more lay on either bicep on his arms. Sharp fangs replaced his former canines, and much to Zoro's horror, a long tail swished behind him. Heaving a groaned sigh the swordsman leaned his forehead against the mirror.

"Well at least I don't have whiskers," he muttered softly to himself.

"It's probably because you ate and got some extra strength to handle a full transformation, that's why we didn't see any change till now."

Looking down to the source of the voice, the man smiled gently at their resident doctor who was standing in the doorway "Hey Chopper,"

The reindeer shuffled where he stood before speaking in his gentle childish voice "If it's any consolation, I think you look really cool."

Zoro's ears pricked forward at the random compliment and a happy purr started in his chest, Zoro however cleared his throat. Now that he was aware of said sound, he was going to ensure it didn't happen, at least not too much. At the moment though, he was touched by Chopper's care "Thanks," he rumbled.

The small animal opened his mouth, but paused as he considered his words, however a nod of encouragement from Zoro allowed him to continue "I remember," Chopper squeaked "when I first ate the human-human fruit. It was really confusing, and suddenly I was having all these thoughts and feelings that I had never even considered before. I ate it wanting something to eat on a cold winter day, and went to bed wondering about my place in the universe. It's a big change. So, what I mean to say is…if you ever need someone to talk to about suddenly being part human and part animal…I'm always here."

Warmth blossomed in his heart and spread throughout his chest as Zoro considered Choppers offer. It had to be one of the kindest things he had ever experienced in all the years he had been alive, and the swordsman felt a new love and loyalty for the ragtag crew that had so quickly become his family spring up in his soul. A genuine smile, one that was rarely seen by anyone outside of the Straw Hats softened Zoro's face and the man reached down with one clawed hand to fondly ruffle Chopper's head.

"Thank you, Chopper, I'll remember that."

 **Yes, I LOVE that the Straw Hats are one big family. According to Oda's SBS he says that Franky and Robin are like the mom and dad of the crew, while Zoro is the first child, Sanji is the second son, Nami is the spoiled daughter, Usopp is the third son, Luffy the fourth and Chopper is the youngest with Brook being the grandpa.**

 **Btw, yes I made a reference to Tweety bird.**

 **As you can see, I LOVE family fluff with these guys, with my personal favorite being brotherly fluff between Zoro and Sanji or Chopper.**

 **If you have any ideas or suggestions, include them in your REVIEW!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Wow, I'm so happy that everyone likes this fic so well.**

 **First and foremost, this is NOT a yaoi fic (as I personally do not support homosexual relationships in any way) nor is this a romance fic.**

 **This is purely FAMILY FLUFF with a wonderful dash of angst.**

 **For now enjoy this latest installment.**

"Zoro, stop trying to force it!" Chopper snapped his features threatening imprisonment to his patient if said man didn't stop his current activity "You're going to have another seizure and slow your recovery if you keep doing that!"

"I want to look like myself," he growled.

"This is your neutral form, just get used to it already," Chopper screamed back "you have to train yourself to learn handling transformations and you're too weak right now to strain your body by doing that!"

Zoro sent an angry sneer at the reindeer, returning grumpily to his current mission.

Sitting on the deck staring at a mirror (borrowed from Nami), his lips a firm pout of concentration Zoro struggled to gain his old body back. One green eye glared at the glass in his hand and every few minutes or so the mouth would grimace in pain even as the tiger ears and tail would wither away. However it wouldn't last long as Zoro would hold his original form for a few scant seconds, a minute at the very best, before releasing the breath he had been holding in a rush of air resulting in the offending appendages return. The moss headed man sighed, dropping the hand holding mirror back into his lap with a groan while massaging his forehead with the other as he pondered what he would look like if he went full beast Like Lucci instead of this in-between he was currently stuck in. An animalistic snarl twisted unhappy lips punctuated by a tiger's growl. He didn't want to look like this, bad enough he was already acting like a cat he didn't want to look like one too.

His tail lashed the air behind him angrily while his ears plastered themselves to the back of his head as the man pouted sullenly before bringing the mirror back up to his face.

An emerald eye roved across his features which were at once familiar and yet utterly foreign. His face still looked the same with the scar arcing across his left eye and chiseled jaw line the leant an intimidating air to his already severe glare. Though he would never admit it, Zoro was rather proud of the fact that he could stare men into submission, often sending them running the other way screaming in fear. Sometimes his mind would flash back to the past and the man would give a harsh wince when he remembered how much of a crybaby he was as a child, but all his hard work had paid off and he was a force to be reckoned with now as an adult. At least he used to be.

Zoro sighed. What was once a face that would strike terror into the hearts of some of the most feared pirates on the Grand Line, was now laughable as it was completely ruined by the fluffy, horrendously adorable tiger ears perching atop his head. The swordsman opened his mouth wide, inspecting the now sharp fangs protruding downward replacing his former canines. The teeth weren't so bad, they certainly fit the idea behind his nickname 'Demon of the East Blue'. However, focusing back on the ears. They pricked forward, almost as if they had a life of their own, and that right there was the sum of why Zoro despised them.

The swordsman had always prided himself on keeping a firm grasp of his emotions as an adult, but these wretched things betrayed his every thought!

The crew had already caught on that if they wanted to know an answer to a question all they had to do was watch his overly expressive ears. Zoro groaned, the sound coming out as a feline chuff (which certainly did not help his mood any). Gone were the days when he could keep his thoughts to himself, now he had all these weird new abilities to deal with and the lurking fear that if he attempted to train he would fall into a seizure or worse, another coma. Zoro wanted to train, his finger positively itched for his swords, but there was this niggling voice in the back of his mind that whispered failure to him. It's silken tones sneering at the idea that he could ever truly claim to be the World's Strongest Swordsman, because how would he know if he won by his own skill or his dependency on the Devil Fruit.

A pout formed on his mouth and with a despondent sigh the man slid sideways to land with a thump on the grass. He knew he was in full view of his crew, and normally he never let them see when he was feeling depressed, choosing rather to hide up in the crow's nest until the feeling passed. However right now he didn't have the energy and much to his horror, the strength, to climb all the way up there and he really didn't feel like keeping up his usual façade in the effort to deceive his crew. Honestly he was doing a bad enough job of that as it was.

Zoro grimaced as the night before came to the forefront of his mind…

" _HAHAHA!"_

 _The swordsman ducked his head in shame, already knowing what Luffy was laughing about and clearing his throat in an attempt to chase away the rumbling in his chest "Shuttup," he grumbled._

 _The crew had settled down for dinner, all enjoying Zoro's new look and taking full opportunity to tease him for it. Nami and Robin in particular had developed a keen fondness for his ears, taking every chance they could to pet and tickle them before they burst into gales of laughter when the appendages twitched and flickered. Right now they were folded against his skull, showing for all the world to see that he was upset or unhappy, and his grilled salmon that had been cooked to perfection now looked significantly less appetizing._

" _But Zoro, it's so cute!" Nami gushed "the fact that you purr now is adorable!_

" _Plus," Usopp threw in feeling particularly brave that day considering the scariest member of the crew was officially almost as cute as Chopper "normally you're so quiet at dinner and you insult Sanji's cooking, but now we know that you like it and you've just been pretending otherwise."_

 _Zoro's lips turned down into a decidedly unhappy frown "It's not like I wanted this," he mumbled pushing his plate away and standing so to take it to the sink._

" _Aw come on, it can't be that bad," Franky stated in a valiant attempt to console the younger man "just think, with these SUPERRR abilities you'll be able to become the world's Greatest Swordsman way easier now!"_

 _Zoro froze, his tail becoming deathly still as an angry snarl twisted his face into the picture of grief "You saying that I wasn't capable of doing so before?"_

 _The room became deathly still, and the cyborg's jaw dropped when he realized what he just said "No," Franky backpedaled "of course you were, I mean you trained like a madman every day, no way would I ever say that you weren't capable of being the World's Greatest without the Devil Fruit!"_

" _Then what were you saying?!" Zoro turned around, the dim lighting in the kitchen making his green eye reflect much like a cat's in moonlight which only added to his dark aura "Because it sounded awfully like that was it."_

" _Zoro," Usopp placated noticing how the swordsman's arms were shaking with barely restrained rage "he was just saying that it's an added bonus, that you'll be able to accomplish your dream faster than before."_

" _And how is that better?!" the moss headed man spat "You make it sound like it would take decades for me to accomplish my dream, like it was just so far away for me! Oh but now…"_

 _Zoro paused as a cynical chuckle shook his frame accented by the sorrow laced into its undertones "Now that I have the Devil Fruit powers I'm suddenly much more capable of attaining it?"_

" _Zoro, that's not what they're saying," Sanji addressed the trembling swordsman his face wreathed in concern for once not insulting his rival in the hopes of calming him down "we're just trying to help you get through this, we understand that what you're going through isn't the easiest thing to deal with."_

" _Shut your trap Curly brow," the man seethed clenching muscular hands at his sides "because none of you understand what I'm going through. You can tease my appearance, you can even insult my current lack of control but don't you dare disgrace my dream. I never wanted this; that sick Marine made this happen and because I'm always the one who has to throw himself on the sacrificial altar I made the choice. You think I don't know that?! You think I don't wish I could have prevented this from happening?! You don't think that I'm essentially a failure because now I can never prove that it was my strength and my strength alone that defeated Mihawk?! You don't think…"_

 _Zoro choked, ducking his head as he was overwhelmed by the turmoil of emotions crashing through him like ocean waves in a storm, and Sanji reached forward to place a consoling hand on his shoulder only to jump back with a yelp when Zoro turned on him._

 _The swordsman roared at the cook with all the pent up rage and confusion that had been boiling beneath his skin since he woke up, baring sharp fangs and taking pleasure in the terrified look that flashed across Sanji's features. Finally, spent of oxygen and left panting his shoulders heaving up and down, Zoro turned and stalked out of the galley, slamming the door behind him._

Sleep hadn't come easy that night, the men's quarters was an obvious no-no, and as he tried to climb the crow's nest only to fall on his butt Zoro resigned himself to sleeping on the grass of the tangerine grove. It wasn't his favorite hiding place, but it would do well enough until he got his strength back for climbing.

Now the man sat on the lawn, keenly aware of the way the crew tiptoed around him. Rolling over so to face the sea, Zoro pondered his options. To be honest he hadn't slept at all, whether it was because tigers are nocturnal or because he was feeling guilty, Zoro didn't know but he had had a lot of time to really think about his current situation. He couldn't give up on his dream, he knew this was not an option in any reality. However, Zoro thought with a sigh, he also knew he was doomed to never get full credit for defeating Mihawk when his time came. Somehow in some way someone would say that he relied on his Devil Fruit to win, and that rumor would taint any victory he attained. It was almost enough to make Zoro want to cry.

He had worked so hard, he thought with a whine, to get to where he is and it was all ruined by a maniac who was too curious for his own good. Granted, Zoro knew that he made the decision to save Chopper, and if he had to go back and was given the same circumstances he would probably make the same decision in the effort of rescuing the diminutive reindeer. It was a choice he made that he must now live with, but even with that being said, there was this ring of unfairness to it that made Zoro seethe. Why was it always him? Why was it he always had to make the hard decisions in the interest of protecting his crew?

Zoro knew he was just having a pity party, and in all reality wallowing in these negative emotions would not help him get back to achieving his dream, but to be honest…he really felt the need to wallow, if only for a few minutes.

Zoro clenched his eye shut, begging any God who would listen that he could just wake up and find this had been a horrible nightmare, or that the Devils inside of him had somehow canceled each other out and no longer existed, but no such luck. He was stuck, well and truly, with no hope of escape or rescue. And on top of that he had the unfortunate and humiliating chore of apologizing to the crew ahead of him. Oh, joy.

"Zoro?"

The swordsman jerked with a yip when suddenly the shock made his body go intangible with his legs up to his waist turning into wind. "Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Zoro bellowed, sinking his claws into the dirt and scratching at the lawn in an attempt to anchor himself before he blew away.

Chopper screamed, scrambling to grab Zoro's arm and pull him back down, and the two continued freaking out like that for a solid five minutes until the swordsman's body returned to normal and he touched down once again. The moss headed man panted, adrenaline shooting through his system, vaguely noting that his hair was standing on end much like a cats and his tail was puffed out and straight as a stick. Eventually he calmed and Chopper collapsed in his lap as the two recovered from the unfortunate surprise.

"You ok?" the reindeer gasped "Feel dizzy or like your about to pass out?"

Zoro flapped an exhausted hand, waving away Chopper's concern "I'm hungry but that's because I haven't had the motivation to eat yet. I'm fine."

Chopper opened his mouth to begin yelling at Zoro for not eating and thereby endangering his health, but the memory of last night rung in his mind like a sorrowful bell over an abandoned town. The reindeer shut his mouth with a snap and sighed.

Of course Zoro hasn't eaten today, honestly no one has even talked to him, much less he talk to them, especially considering the fiasco after dinner. No doubt the swordsman didn't want to apologize for the entirely understandable emotions he was feeling, and even Chopper had to admit that the crew had more than their fair share of insensitive moments. They hadn't meant to insult Zoro's dream, they were only trying to cheer him up, but Zoro was nothing if not proud. They should have understood that. Snuggling into Zoro's side, Chopper cast pleading eyes on the man he viewed as a big brother.

"We're really sorry, Zoro,"

The moss headed man released a small exhale his eyes hesitant as he answered the reindeer's apology "No…I'm sorry, for blowing up like that. It wasn't fair or mature."

"You're stressed, plus you just had a near death experience that put you in a coma for two weeks, anyone's nerves would be a little strained after something like that,"

Zoro chuckled at the reindeer's logic, ruffling his head "Thanks, but I still need to say sorry to the rest of the crew."

"You could," a new voice cut in "but you don't have to."

The swordsman looked up to see Franky standing over him, an elaborate creation of wood slung over one shoulder "What is that thing?"

The cyborg shrugged "It's my apology. You have the crow's nest to use as a getaway, but it's not always available. So I thought I would make a special place just for you."

With that being said, the mecha man placed his burden down on the grass so Zoro could get a better look, and the swordsman couldn't help but smirk in pleasure.

It was an elaborate balcony designed to attach to the side of the mast with a stylized roof to offer shade and cushion for comfort. The wood it was created from was designed with intricate swirls and a tiger's head adorned the front of one of the beams on the front of the balcony's ceiling. It was beautifully made, and designed to endure the outdoors. True it look like one of those cat perches people had in their homes for their pets, but Zoro appreciated the thought of giving a place to escape when he wanted some time alone.

Shaking his head fondly, Zoro cast a smile up at the shipwright "Thanks," he murmured as he stood to pat off his legs "now if you'll excuse me, I need to go bug a certain cook for some lunch."

 **I know…he was OOC, but he's stressed and worried about losing his dream. Wait… I don't have to explain myself to you! It's my story MWAHAHAHAHA!**

REVIEW!


	8. Chapter 8

**Hello everyone, I'm back. I apologize for the wait, I work at a school and don't always have the luxury of extra time to write.**

 **I hope you enjoy this latest update!**

"Sir?"

In a darkened room over a hundred miles away from the Thousand Sunny, a Marine Captain who was the current commander over the branch headquarters sat in a plush chair, his mustache standing out in two aggravated points. One hand rolled a coin across his knuckles with dexterous grace, while a clenched jaw ground his teeth and narrowed eyes peered across the moonlit waters that rolled beyond the window. The grunt currently hovering within the doorframe gave an audible gulp as he dared address the sulking figure once again.

"Captain Rosso…Sir?"

"Why are you disturbing me when I explicitly told you not to?" the man growled.

"I apologize sir, but I have important news to give you."

Captain Rosso quirked an eyebrow at the man while a bitter snarl twisted his lips "Important news?" he spat "What could be more important than the fact my experiment got away and now I lost any chance of autopsying his body?!"

"That's exactly what I mean sir," the grunt stammered "we've received reports that the Straw Hats have been spotted docking at an island some leagues away, and…Roronoa Zoro was among them….alive."

The captain paused, before his spindly frame slowly rose out of the chair and he turned to face the younger man "He's…alive?"

"Y-yes?"

Suddenly the narrow eyes widened as a deranged grin broke through his features "Then, by all means," he smirked as a maniacal laugh lilted in his undertones "tell me the report, in detail."

…..

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Zoro grumped his ears flat against his head while his tail lashed the air anxiously.

Sanji chuckled, a small smirk twitching the side of his mouth as the tension rolled off the larger man in palpable waves "Don't worry whiskers, Chopper gave you a clean bill of health. You haven't had a seizure for almost two weeks and you're getting a better handle on your abilities. Surely going onto an island isn't such a terrifying prospect?"

"I'm not scared!" Zoro hissed drawing his lips back to bare his fangs before lowering his head back down onto the table to pout "and don't call me whiskers."

The duo were sitting in the kitchen, Zoro eating one of his five meals that officially accompanied his new daily routine and Sanji preparing lunch while his friend and rival enjoyed his small snack. It had been a little over a month since Zoro woke up from the coma, and life for the Straw Hats finally reached a plateau of seeming normalcy. The swordsman had been hard at work honing his new skills, unfortunately his new training regimen was also frequently accompanied by seizures which led to him holing himself up in the lowest bowels of the ship where neither wind nor scents could reach him.

Zoro found the isolation far from the outside soothing, while he also despised the pity that now lurked in the gaze of his crewmates. Ever since they left the Marine base, he had been treated like a china doll, liable to break at any moment and he no longer felt confidence in his position as one the strongest members of the crew. The fear that he may somehow still fall victim to the curse of the devil fruit that was evident in the concerned features of his family, had now taken residence in Zoro's heart and this foreign emotion was eating away at Zoro's determination. The man now sought solace away from his crew, preferring rather to sit alone where none could see him as he struggled to gain control over his changing body. He didn't want to give them any more reason to believe him weakened beyond repair.

The few times the Straw Hats saw his face was during mealtimes, and to say they were worried was an understatement. Sanji fought to get the swordsman involved with the crew as much as possible when they could see him, but even he could not deny that the moss headed man was regressing at a scary rate. And try as they might, he was distancing himself from his crew despite their wish that he lean on them and not bear the burden of his change all by himself.

"Alright, fine," The cook murmured walking around to give the swordsman his (now routine) mid-morning snack "I won't call you whiskers, now eat your food…fluffy,"

The moss headed man's hair stood on end as his tail puffed out indignantly, his one good eye glaring an eternity's worth of pointy objects at the chef "Jerk," he muttered heaving a sigh.

"Look, you have to admit that I've been really nice about all this whole thing, so I deserve to be allowed _some_ nicknames at your expense-whoa…"

Zoro's eye widened as the breath he had exhaled turned into a miniature tornado carving a tiny groove across the table "That's…interesting."

Sanji shrugged, striving for normalcy, knowing full well that his rival was still very much _not_ at peace with his new situation and any pity or sign of putting his abilities in the lime light was the main reason for why he was cloistering himself away from his family "Eh, it's no different than that tornado slashing thingie you do with your swords, just smaller."

The light in Zoro's eye dimmed, and his ears which were previously pricked forward with interest now drooped as despair weighed heavy on his limbs.

He hadn't touched his blades in a month. Four weeks, and three days. They were collecting dust in the men's quarters waiting for their master to return but Zoro just…couldn't. He couldn't pick them up, couldn't train with them, he just couldn't. The mere sight of them sent a tendril of nausea curling through his stomach, and like some kind of scaredy-cat he has turned and run, avoiding them at all costs. Much like he had the crew.

Of course they had noticed, why wouldn't they? The intense training he had once put himself through at an almost manic pace had come to an unexpected screeching halt. The weights sit unused, and the lawn lay barren of any moss headed men napping or exercising on it. Zoro knew he was running from his problems, but he had rationalized it as a different form of training, it was only obvious that he would need to learn to control his new abilities so to avoid future mishaps, right? However that justification could not uncoil the knot of shame currently residing in his gut, stealing his appetite and making sleep all the more elusive.

"I guess," the swordsman muttered dismally.

The chef sighed, seeing his efforts once again crash and burn in glorious technicolor before he brightened and changed gears back to more familiar territory "So about the island, are you sure you're not scared, because I can just tell Luffy to leave you behind and we can just pick you up a few cat toys as reward for guarding the ship."

"For the hundredth time," Zoro sneered raising his head to pin Sanji with a feline slit glare "I'm not scared!"

"Then why won't you come onto the island with us? It's just for an afternoon, and we can stretch our legs with a decent hunt in the forest behind the village. I might even let you win this time." Sanji grinned petulantly, hoping that challenging the man to a contest might shake him out of his funk, if only for a day.

"Please," Zoro chuffed as pleased purr rumbled in his chest while a self-satisfied smirk twitched his mouth "like you're capable of letting me win, I've beaten you fair and square every time."

"Actually we're more than usually tied," Sanji grumped before pinning his rival with narrow eyes full of determination "but this time it will be different."

"Ha! Dare to dream, blondie."

The cook resisted the urge to pump the air with a fist as he realized that for once his plan had worked and their swordsman was actually going to spend time with the crew beyond breakfast, lunch or dinner "So does that mean you're going to take my challenge?"

A tiger striped tail swayed back and forth while the steel grey eye took on a predatory gleam "You're on!"

Sanji grinned even as a voice bellowed from outside, "Come on, let's GO! I'm bored!"

Zoro snorted in mild amusement "Look's like Luffy's all set and ready to go."

"Please," Sanji scoffed "he's been ready since Nami-swan announced we'd be making landfall yesterday morning."

"That's true."

Suddenly the door burst open with a resounding bang making Zoro jolt and his hair stand on end while his lips pulled back in a hiss "LUFFY!" the swordsman snarled "What have I told you about doing that?!"

The captain gave an irritatingly endearing pout "Sorry Zoro, but I really wanna go!" Luffy whined.

Sanji rolled his eyes as he finished packing the last of the boxed lunches and gestured with his head for the man to follow him "Come on Zoro, if Luffy is forced to wait any longer, he might blow a gasket."

With a grumble and a growl, the swordsman followed though his ear betrayed the anxiety he felt about going among the general populace in his new condition "Fine,"

"Zoro!" Nami exclaimed with a surprised smile as the trio left the galley "you're coming with us?"

The swordsman winced at her shock, being forced to confront the consequences of his recent isolation "Yeah," he shrugged refusing to meet her eyes "nosebleed talked me into it."

"I'm glad," the navigator touched his arm softly to show her sincerity but her heart deflated when he subtly moved away from her reach and she realized that he still had an invisible wall up between him and the crew "with you along we might be able to get some quality meat from that forest, I'm sure we'll all appreciate another member on the hunting team."

Zoro merely replied with a vague nod and Nami had to physically swallow her disappointment and heartache that the man they all trusted implicitly had yet to learn to trust them, at least with his weaker side. He trusted them to have his back, and he trusted them to protect their own. He trusted them in the bright days to make it through impossible battles and seemingly hopeless fights. However, it seemed that he just didn't trust them with the sides of himself he refused to let anyone other than the mirror see. This weakness that had invaded Zoro's world was not something he was okay with. The sheer agony followed by exhaustion carved into his features when he had first eaten the fruit and somehow managed to survive. The shame and guilt when he slowly realized that his dream had now been tainted. The self-loathing every time he reached for his swords, only to draw back empty handed with a grimace dripping and overflowing with heartbreaking sorrow.

Zoro didn't trust them with these parts of himself, and it was eating him alive, drawing him into a pit of depression that none had ever fathomed the man was capable of falling into.

How do the strong survive being weakened? How does a man who was used to power coursing through his veins, and honor thrumming in his very soul get past everything he had worked toward being shattered at his feet in one cruel moment? Many men in times past have fallen victim to this terrible disease of the soul. Men who were capable of such great feats of strength were suddenly injured and for the rest of their lives are not capable of even half of what they were previously able to do, all because of one moment that fell on them like the blade of a guillotine. That one second where their entire life changed, and suddenly they are forced to reconcile that nothing will ever be the same again. How do you survive that?

How will Zoro?

Nami shook her head, Zoro was not injured, and he was not weak! He _could_ get through this and be just as strong and powerful as he once was. He didn't need the devil fruit to achieve his dream before, and he didn't need it now. The change was an obstacle, nothing more and they would fight tooth and nail in order to make him see that for himself! If anything the problem was not so much with Zoro's body as it was his head.

The swordsman honestly believed that he was no longer worthy of his dream, and even though the only thing physically wrong with him were the usual problems that came with eating a devil fruit, Zoro refused to train with his blades. He somehow thought that even touching them were some kind of unforgiveable sin against his honor. Nami didn't understand it, but she along with the rest of the crew had always respected Zoro's stand. The sheer amount of respect he held for his katana and the way of the swordsman was evident in the fastidious care doted upon each blade and the seriousness with which he undertook each level of training. For him to be deprived of ever getting his dream, to see that goal essentially snatched away from him in the cruelest way possible, this experience had left him hollow unwilling to find the motivation to train much less live.

Nami pasted on the brightest smile she could manage determined to get Zoro back to his old self, no matter how long it took "Well, let's not just stand around, why don't we go down into the village for some shopping!"

"Aw!" Luffy pouted "but I don't wanna shop!"

Nami shook her head fondly "You can be on the hunting team with Zoro and Sanji. Robin and I will take care of shopping for supplies, as well as anything else that catches our eye. Chopper, you and Brook are in charge of stocking up our medicine cabinet. Franky, you'll guard the ship along with Usopp. Got it?"

With resounding shouts of agreement the groups split up, Zoro following the blond headed chef with Luffy close by but the captain stopped with a wide eyed gasp "Ah! We forgot!"

Sanji and Zoro watched Luffy catapult himself back onto the ship, a few moments passed before the boy came running back, his arms burdened with three long objects and the swordsman felt his heart stop. The dark haired boy approached his first mate, a grin stretching his rubbery features before stopping and shoving the objects out towards the moss headed man. "Here Zoro, you forgot these and you can't hunt without them."

The man gave a heavy swallow and his heartbeat thudded hard in his eardrums as he looked hard at his blades. Two muscular hands clenched and unclenched at his sides, and his shoulders began to shudder as he slowly reached out to grasp the three katana. But just before he could touch them his fingers froze, and hung hovering over the sleek sheathes in trembling indecision. He vaguely understood that he was beginning to hyperventilate as his vision slowly started to tunnel in a darkness that swallowed him whole and the broad shoulders heaved up and down as he struggled to move his hand and breathe at the same time.

Sanji looked between the two, his concern growing as he watched Zoro fall into what they had learned in recent weeks was the beginning of a panic attack and swiftly stepped between them "You know what Luffy, why don't I carry them for Zoro? I think he was thinking about using some of his new abilities to hunt and I kinda want to see of the idiot can actually do it, you know?"

Luffy listened to the forced chuckle coming from his cook and turned a serious gaze back onto his first mate, dark eyes assessing the gasping man as he suddenly turned and fled at a quick walk into the trees "He really won't touch them anymore, huh?"

Sanji reared back, slapped by the realization that Luffy had been testing Zoro in his own way to see where the man currently stood "No Luffy, I don't think he can." The chef lit a cigarette and drew in a shaky breath seeking comfort from the familiar scent "he's fighting a battle with himself right now, and its tearing him apart from the inside."

The captain cast grieved cobalt eyes to the grass as rubbery fists clenched "I hate this, why can't we help him?"

"That's the thing, we're the only ones who can," Sanji sighed "but Zoro has to let us and right now he's trying to bear the entire burden by himself and refuse us access to his darkest moment. I don't know why, but the idiot either doesn't trust our strength to be of any use or he somehow thinks he's no longer worthy to ask for our help."

"That moron," Luffy whispered before raising determined eyes to the section of forest Zoro had disappeared in "come on, let's go find him and kick his butt for being so stupid."

The chef snorted in amusement before a smile full of hope brightened his features "I'm right behind you captain,"

 **Poor Zoro, he's so stressed. To be honest, this was supposed to be a chapter with more cute kitty-Zoro scenes, but this literally wrote itself. Because right as I was considering the hunting scene I realized, would Zoro even be able to pick up his swords after the revelation concerning his dream?**

 **This may seem a little overemotional for our favorite swordsman, but I personally think it fits.**


	9. Chapter 9

**I am so grateful for the sheer amount of support this fic is getting, it really is a different fic in and of itself, and I hope everyone enjoys reading it as much as I enjoy writing it.**

Zoro crashed through the underbrush, his gaze hard as flint even as he struggled to ignore the telltale burning in his sinuses. Swallowing the lump in his throat, the swordsman shook away the moisture gathering in the corners of his eyes while he batted at yet another overgrown fern barring his way through the forest. His mind was whirling, with thoughts, questions and stark fears clamoring at the door of his thoughts demanding his attention.

The main one being; what was wrong with him? It was just his katana, they were an extension of his body, of his very soul. So why couldn't he take them from Luffy and strap them to his hip like always? Hadn't he done so hundreds if not thousands of times before? What was so different now that he couldn't even touch them without going into the beginnings of a panic attack?

However the more Zoro thought about it, the more he realized that he couldn't, that things were different now. That he no longer deserved to walk the path of the swordsman, and that one thought that had been building in his subconscious was the main reason why he had been avoiding his blades. He was unworthy. Sandai Kitetsu would probably kill him the first chance it got because of its dissatisfaction with his current state, not to mention Kuina's blade Wado deserved a better master than him. Especially now. It was in this moment that Zoro finally came to an abrupt halt in the middle of a small meadow, and fell to his knees as his heart finally tore in half with an audible rip when a revelation fell him with a piercing blow sharper than any sword.

He was no longer qualified to be the world's greatest swordsman, he had tainted his honor and in so doing left the way of the swordsman and was no longer worthy of his dream.

A gasping sob wrenched itself from the depths of the swordsman's heart and Zoro clenched the grass between meaty fists as his frame began to shake. Lost, lost, it's all lost was the mantra repeating in his head as the trembling grew into harsh sobbing convulsions, despite the man fighting with all his might against the hopeless tears building in his eyes. Lifting himself up, Zoro drove his skull into the dirt repeatedly, striving desperately to gain some form of control, but it was not to be. He was already caught in a hectic spin, and the man had no idea if he would ever find peace again.

Wheezing cries held back behind clenched teeth echoed among the trees, as muscular hands gripped his upper arms and Zoro rocked himself while another wave of palpable sorrow overtook him. The green striped tail curled around him in almost a consoling embrace but Zoro couldn't draw any warmth from it. His heart was frozen in a block of ice. The grief tugged his soul deeper into the endless void of sorrow eliciting a low moan from the moss headed man before he slammed clenched fists into the dirt. The swordsman punched the ground until his knuckles bled, venting his frustration and rage on the surrounding plant life.

He would fight this! He had to. He may not be worthy of being a swordsman anymore, but he wouldn't let himself melt into such a pitiful state, he was stronger than this, wasn't he?

At this point, he didn't even know anymore…

….

Luffy strode forward, his cobalt gaze stern with childish wisdom glaring intently at the path ahead.

It wasn't hard to find Zoro, the man had unintentionally left a swath of destruction marking his passing to guide them. The captain's heart hammered against his ribs, he still wasn't entirely sure what he would say to bring his first mate back to his senses, but one thing he did know, enough was enough. Luffy had left Zoro alone for well over a month, seeing the man's need to think on his own and puzzle out the problem for himself. Unfortunately this plan had backfired, and Zoro was dangerously close to being lost to them forever.

The problem was though, this entire situation was so new to the Straw Hats.

True they had come across their fair share of heartache, and when Luffy lost Ace the boy came to a keen understanding of the agony suffered when you have to drag yourself to your feet and keep moving forward. But this? This was not something anyone expected to happen. Not only because surviving eating two Devil Fruit was impossible, Zoro was the one person on the crew that no one ever imagined would ever drop his dream, his hard work in training proved that to them every moment of every day. So how did they reach this terrible day where Zoro could not even bring himself to touch his swords? It was irregular, it was heart wrenching, and Luffy could stomach no more of it. They needed Zoro back, now!

Finally the boy came to a stop on the edge of a meadow, and there in the middle of it curled in a ball on his knees was the object of their search. The huddled form was shaking violently, but Luffy wasn't worried. He had seen Zoro have enough seizures during the two week coma that he knew at a glance it wasn't anything medical. Rather the burning in his gut accompanied by the fierce visage of the swordsman as he valiantly strove against the tears trying to leak through clenched eyelids proved to the captain that his first mate was far from alright, and that made Luffy feel a fury against Zoro that he had never entertained before in the history of their friendship.

Sandals slapping against the ground, the young man strode forward his straw hat shadowing his eyes while one rubbery hand clenched into a fist before coming to a pause beside his swordsman "Get up,"

One stormy grey eye opened to reveal a bloodshot orb swimming in a lake's worth of tears. He knew Luffy was standing there, could feel his captain's righteous fury rolling off him in waves, but he did not move, did not speak. He had given in to the depressing sorrow that now had him bound in its icy chains, links that were tightening with every gasped breath drawn into suffering lungs. A twenty ton weight had settle on his chest restricting his air and denying him the strength to stand, and for the first time in his life Zoro prayed for some form of release from his torment, something that would take the pain away and give him the peace he so craved.

But the funny thing about prayer…is the answer to one doesn't always take the form you expect.

Luffy's lips curled into a snarl and the boy barked his command again, authority ringing in his tone like a bell from a steeple high over a city "GET UP!"

The man finally stirred, opening his mouth in a slow pained movement "And what…" Zoro rasped turning a lifeless eye to his captain "if I don't want to get up?"

"What if," the swordsman continued sheer emotional agony coloring his eye a darker shade of steel "I don't have anything left to live for, and getting up is beyond my power?"

Luffy paused before raising his head so to pin the man with a gaze of glowing brimstone " **Then I'll make you get up.** "

Zoro released a cynical scoff while his lips twisted into a tormented grimace "This isn't something you can change through physical force, moron."

"Too bad," Luffy shrugged "I refuse to let you lose to this so easily, even if it means I have to drag you up myself."

The swordsman gave a groan "What's the point?" he asked in a humorless laugh that sounded almost like a sob "what do I have to fight for?"

"Do you really have to ask?" Luffy snarled "You'll fight for your dream!"

Zoro's features contorted into a grim slash of utter misery, as if his captain's words had torn out his heart and was squeezing it between mighty fists. Insurmountable grief clutched him in vise making him gasp for air even as his head drooped with the weight of all the shattered hopes that haunted his every waking moment for the past month. Why couldn't Luffy understand? His dream didn't belong to him anymore, it was stolen and he had nothing left. What right did he have to even consider continuing fighting for it?

"And what if I'm no longer worthy of it…?"

The question came out as nothing more than a whisper from the depths of a tortured soul. The very fear that had been haunting Zoro, stealing his sleep and eating him alive from the inside out had now finally been verbalized into words and hung in the air like a death knoll over a ghost town.

Luffy felt his chest heave as stark realization met an unbending rage and the two melted together to form a volcano of hurt "How dare you," he hissed.

Zoro had barely a millisecond before his captain lunged forward with a punch that sent him flying while bellowing "How dare you decide that without my permission!?"

The swordsman skidded across the grass, his body bouncing off the turf before coming to a stop on the other side of the meadow. The man slowly stood on shaky legs that threatened to buckle at any second, one wary eye on the captain who stood panting a scant twenty feet away. As the boy's words sunk in, Zoro felt a snarl of his own rip from his throat and a clawed hand clenched into a fist "You think I wanted to?!" he screamed "It wasn't my decision to make!"

"You're right, Zoro, because it's mine!" Luffy shouted back "You promised me that you would never lose again, not until you became the World's greatest swordsman. You gave that promise to ME, putting your dream in my hands. If anyone has any say about whether or not you're worthy of following that dream, it's me!"

Zoro reared back, stunned by Luffy's logic before shaking his head in disbelief "You can't possibly understand." He growled.

The moss headed man turned, intent on leaving the meadow and the conversation but a murmured "Oh yeah," from his captain made him pause.

Turning, Zoro could only gape as the maddened figure of his captain once again pelted forward, fist at the ready "Then make me understand!"

Zoro dodged the fist but did not see the uppercut swoop in on his left side. The hit collided with his jaw with a bang that echoed among the tree tops. Rolling with the force of the punch, the swordsman regained his footing turning to pin his captain with a serious gaze "Look at me Luffy, I'm a freak!" he spat.

"So am I," Luffy growled "but that doesn't stop me from working towards my dream!"

"How is anyone going to know if it was my strength that beats Mihawk, though?!" Zoro belted back throwing a punch that was neatly batted aside only to narrowly dodge a return hit from his captain "No one cares about how you win your battles, but in a duel between two swordsmen depending on a Devil Fruit to win is disgraceful!"

Luffy followed through with his punch, flipping forward so to capture Zoro's head between his legs and throw him to the ground "What does it matter what other people think, the only thing that matters is if you fight with honor when that day comes, everything else is a moot point!"

The swordsman bounced up his tail lashing behind him as he prepared for another attack "Even if I hold back from using my powers, it still won't be a fair fight. Mihawk deserves my best effort, and holding back even on my abilities is an insult to him!"

"Well, I think that's just stupid!" Luffy screamed landing a solid punch to Zoro's chest.

The swordsman blocked the blow, but only just barely, his already weak legs wobbled from the intense fury packed behind Luffy's fist "Luffy," Zoro grunted straining to keep the haki coated arm aloft "this isn't about you."

"Maybe it should be," the captain spat skidding across the dirt when Zoro finally gathered enough strength to fling him away.

"How does that make sense?!" the swordsman yelled his features becoming less sorrowful and more irate as he fell into the rhythm of the fight "How could you possibly understand what I'm going through?!"

Zoro shot towards his captain like a bolt loosed from a bow sending Luffy on the defensive as he replied with his own punch "It's my honor that's been damaged, my dream that's been ruined; what on earth does that have to with you?!"

"YOU IDIOT!" Luffy bellowed in an enraged shriek before pummeling the swordsman with a barrage of hits "You always carry everything by yourself! On top of that you refuse to let your crew, your family, help you bear the burden! Haven't you figured it out yet that your dream is our dream too?!"

Zoro staggered, managing to block most of the blows with only a couple sneaking through his defense. Finally the rampage ended with Luffy gasping for air, but his eyes once so full of conviction were now overflowing with betrayal "Your dream is our dream too," he repeated in a breathless sob "we want you to achieve it as much as we want to achieve our own dreams. You're not in this alone, you moron!"

Luffy's words, so simple yet they had made a huge impact on the moss headed man and he slowly sunk back down to his knees shaking his head as the last of his defiance burned like a dying ember "You don't get it, your dream allows to be whatever you want to be, but mine comes with a specific set of rules, ones that cannot be broken on pain of death. Don't you understand, I'm not worthy of it…not anymore…I don't deserve to wear my katana."

Sanji stood at the edge of the meadow, his eyes wide and jaw hanging agape not daring to make a sound and intrude on this singular moment that would decide the very future of their swordsman. He knew in some part of his heart that it would eventually lead to this, but seeing it now in front of him, even his wildest imaginings could not do justice to the awesome power displayed by their captain. The cook shivered as he slowly realized that the crew often took the youth for granted, but it was moments like this that reminded them that Monkey D. Luffy was truly a force to be reckoned with.

"Who told you that you aren't worthy?" Luffy snapped the question out garnering the first mate's attention, his eyes hard and unyielding "because as far as I know the only person saying that is you."

"As I am, there's no way to prove that it was my strength alone that defeated Mihawk, there will always be some measure of doubt." Zoro persisted albeit weakly.

"Then find a way!" Luffy bellowed "Isn't that how you created the Three-Sword Style?! You wanted a way to gain more power and so you decided to put a sword in your mouth and made that part of you just as deadly as your hands. If there isn't a way available for you, then make one! Even if you have to fight tooth and nail, make your own path to your dream!"

Zoro glanced up, and met the glare of his captain head on only to be stunned all over again by the power held within the diminutive frame. Luffy stood erect, head held high without the slightest bit of doubt or hesitation in his words. His fists were clenched at his sides, knuckles pearly white from the conviction that squeezed them into tight balls. However it was his eyes that made Zoro stop and stare, those cobalt eyes that now burned with passion fueled by the fire of a thousand suns, but what he saw standing proudly in their depths was confidence. Confidence in his first mate to make the right decision, and suddenly the tears that Zoro had been working so hard to keep at bay were streaming freely down his cheeks.

What was it about this bold and brash young man that was capable of bringing the stoic swordsman to tears? First after his fight with Mihawk when he had made his solemn vow and in turn swore his allegiance to Luffy, and now when this very same youth rekindled the flame of determination within one lost soul struggling to find his way through the darkened streets of his pain. Zoro wasn't sure how Luffy was able to make him confront the parts of himself that he would rather never meet, but the man was forced to acknowledge that it was this troublesome trait that helped him grow into the man he was today.

Luffy watched as Zoro finally caved to the tumultuous emotions roiling within his heart and allowed himself to well and truly grieve over his experience. The captain knew that the man had never actually mourned what had happened, preferring rather to stuff it away under a façade of gruff well-being. It was Zoro's way, and had been his way of dealing with things for years now, but after the battle of Marine Fjord, Luffy learned an important lesson. Sometimes you have to mourn, sometimes you must allow yourself to grieve all the horrible things that had befallen you even if it meant crying like a baby. It didn't make you less of a man, it was a simple fact of life that there were some emotions, some experiences that were too big to be swept under the rug.

And so with caring arms and a face full of understanding, Luffy knelt down and pulled his first mate into a hug holding the sobbing convulsing mass as Zoro finally learned to lean on someone else for a change. Meaty hands reached up and clutched Luffy's vest like a lifeline and the broad shoulders shuddered as the man released broken cries muffled by a rubbery shoulder. Sanji snuck away from his post, allowing the two the privacy needed for such a fragile moment between first mate and captain. He knew that if he were in the same position, he wouldn't want an audience watching him bawl like a baby, and to be honest the cook was relieved that someone was finally able to get through that thick moss brained skull.

Lighting a cigarette, Sanji leaned his head back and blew smoke rings into the air watching them dance among the sunbeams as he walked through the trees in search of a decent kill. And as the blond strolled underneath sun drenched boughs he could honestly say that for the first time in weeks, his heart felt bright with hope that things were starting to turn out for the best.

 **Wow….I hope that turned out ok, I'm horrible at writing fight scenes.**

 **Please review, and I will see you next chapter!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Thank you so much for the warm reviews concerning the last chapter, it was one of the many crucial points that Zoro will have to come through in order to reach his destination. It won't be an easy road, but as my loyal reviewer CardboardHut so kindly pointed out, this is a story about Nakamaship and how just one person's strength isn't always enough to overcome every obstacle.**

 **Here is a chapter to lighten the mood a bit, I know many of you are just waiting for some fun Kitty moments, and I am pleased to indulge!**

Back in the village, Usopp walked beside a grumbling Nami, his face not even slightly concerned about the dark cloud hanging over the navigator "I still don't understand why now, of all times, you feel the sudden urge to explore an island." The red head growled.

"And I don't understand why you're making a fuss over it," the man smirked trailing his fingers across a curtain of necklaces hanging in a stall "besides, this place really reminds me of my home and I happened to feel like shopping."

"Usopp," the red head smirked "you never 'feel like shopping', at least not with me or Robin. So spill, what are you really up to?"

The sniper shrugged, his face slackening from happy-go-lucky and shifting to a serious look burdened with volumes of unspoken words that lay hidden beneath the surface. He struggled to find the right phrase that would accurately explain his abnormal behavior, before the story teller decided to do something he rarely did, go with the truth "To be honest I was worried."

The navigator cocked her head while Robin murmured the question running laps through both their minds "About what, Usopp-san?"

"Now there's a loaded question," the man chuckled grimly as he shook his head "what am I not worried about? Well, of course I'm worried about Zoro. The stupid idiot won't let us be the family he needs, especially with everything that's going on, and I can't even begin to explain how unhealthy isolating yourself while going through a major trauma can be."

"Then I'm worried about the crew," Usopp continued his mouth pulled down in a tight frown "and the fact that it has been over a month since Luffy threw a party. I'm worried about Chopper, the kid hasn't stopped researching Devil Fruit since…well, you know when. I'm worried about Sanji because he has nothing to vent his frustration and anxiety on, plus he's really bad at pretending he isn't scared for you-know-who, which means I usually draw the short straw when it comes to his temper. I'm worried about Franky because even after apologizing, the guy has a cloud of guilt hanging over his head that's heavier than the ten ton weight in the crow's nest, it's almost like he thinks this past month is all his fault. And then I'm worried about you…"

Nami turned, shocked to see their sniper addressing her with the last of his concerns "Me?"

"Yeah, you," Usopp nodded "come on Nami I know you better than most people. How many hours have we spent in each other's company, be it planning a way of survival from Luffy's idiotic tendency for trouble, or just talking? I know how much you love this crew, which is just as much as I do, if not more. This past month hasn't been easy on any of us, though I will admit it's been harder on some, one green haired idiot in particular; however I know you hate the dangers of walking into the unknown, and anything that threatens to hurt your family automatically makes you feel like you're being thrown headfirst into it."

Tears of gratitude sprang to the navigator's eyes as she watched the man next to her fumble with his words as he bared his raw worry "I just, I don't know," he sighed "I wanted to make sure you were holding up ok."

The red head immediately stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Usopp's neck, pulling him close "Thank you," she whispered sniffling back more tears as she embraced the man.

The sniper smiled hugging her in return before Nami drew away swiping at her eyes wonder shining in her chocolate gaze "It's been a rough few weeks," Usopp murmured taking her hand and squeezing it gently "let's just take today and have some fun, yeah?"

Nami sighed as a soft smile slowly spilled across her face, in truth, next to Robin, Usopp was one of her closest friends on the crew. She felt at ease around the man. He made her laugh and was often her main ally when it meant stopping Luffy from doing something stupid or dangerous. However Usopp, just like every other member on the crew, never ceased to amaze her. She had always known how observant he was and intuitive to the things occurring around him, but he showed her just how keen his eyes really were when he described exactly how she was feeling. Just the fact that he came with them shopping out of concern for her emotional well-being once again cemented the love she held for her crazy crew; and after taking Usopp's offer into consideration the woman gave a fond laugh, linking her arm into Usopp's and pulling him along.

"Fine," she smiled squeezing the appendage in her grasp in a small hug "but since you had to come, I'm going to make sure you experience the full effect of mine and Robin's shopping excursions!"

Usopp rolled his eyes but allowed himself to be drug down the street "It can't be more terrifying than sitting next to Luffy at the dinner table."

The navigator threw back her head with a merry laugh enjoying the feeling of relaxation that was soothing weary muscles stretched taut from stress "We'll see," she giggled "for now let's get a head start on the open air market, I bet the local farmers have some great soaps and lotions for sale!"

"Oh yes," Usopp intoned his face gravely serious "for my delicate skin, it practically melts in this burning heat."

Nami and Robin exchanged amused glances, unsure of how to take the man's statement before they spied a twinkle of mischief glinting in his eyes which brought the two ladies into gales of laughter "You're such a goof!"

With much smiling and jokes being told all around the group began their adventure through the shopping district of the small village. They made their way across clothing stores, accessory shops and boutiques for every class of lady. Eventually though even the sniper, for all his loving kindness, found himself begging to visit more interesting venues and the women had mercy on the poor man as they steered towards the more technological area of town. It was on their way to this particular stretch that Usopp experienced a most fateful encounter.

"Books and supplies for exotic pets!" a vendor sang waving his wares "we have supplies and manuals on the care and training for every exotic pet on the market!"

Usopp's lips twisted as he fought an evil laugh and in an instant the man was hooked. Meandering across the street, an amused archaeologist and navigator in tow, the sniper looked through the available merchandise only to jolt with an exultant cry "AHA!"

"Do I even want to-?" Nami paused peeking at the cover before she was caught in a fit of giggles making her double over and grasp the counter for support.

Robin stepped up behind the sniper, one eye watching the younger woman in her laughing fit before turning her attention to the title of the book Usopp was now officially paying for "The care of Tigers; Hints and Habits for your Exotic Pet."

The archaeologist paused before she too began to laugh "I do believe Kenshi-san will not be pleased when he finds out about this."

"Maybe not, but it will still be fun to see just where the similarities start and how much he really acts like a tiger," Usopp grinned back as the cashier bagged his new find.

"Ah," the vendor spoke as he gave the trio a pleasant smile "in return for your purchase, I'll throw in a free jar of 100% all natural catnip. It's the best I have in stock and I hear that the kitties go wild for this particular brand."

Usopp's jaw dropped as he watched the man drop the jar into his bag before handing it over to the sniper. With smiles and waves the trio slowly walked away from the booth, all three peering into the bag and more importantly at this strange new opportunity that fate had thrown into their laps.

….

Luffy flat on his back in the grass, his eyes closed and his face peaceful as the wind teased his hair and threatened to run away with his hat. Zoro was happy. Luffy could tell by the pleasant breeze curling around them and the rumbling purrs sounding on his right.

After the swordsman cried out the last few tears, the two had sat and talked for a good two or even three hours. Zoro had spilled his guts to his captain, telling him everything about the transformation and the fears that had accompanied it. He spoke of feeling like a failure, and the sleepless nights spent wrestling with the decision on whether he was allowed to keep his dream. Luffy listened with a solemn expression, allowing his first mate to vent before the man began detailing the odd conversation he had held with the two spirits of his devil fruit. That one tidbit of information alone had made the black haired youth wild with curiosity concerning his own devil fruit spirit and what kind of person it was. Zoro had gotten a good laugh, the first time in over in a month, over the images Luffy had concocted about what his spirit might be like. After that though their conversation petered out to the duo simply laying back on the grass and sunbathing in warm golden rays.

Stretching his arms until they gave a satisfying pop, the boy lifted himself up onto his elbows and cast an inquisitive gaze at his first mate, only to grin at the sight next to him.

Zoro was in a deep sleep, which was also a rarity, his fluffy green ears rested against his head twitching and fluttering with every caress of the wind. The large man lay on his side curled into a half-moon, while his tail sprawled across his legs, the tip of it every once in a while giving a graceful sweep across the grass only to come back to its former position. His body practically vibrated with the loud purrs echoing like drumbeats within his chest and the scene radiated peace and contentment. All in all, he looked like a house cat after it had found a nice patch of sunshine to nap in, and Luffy found the whole thing hilarious.

Pursing his lips in thought, the boy reached forward and gently grasped the tail between two fingers before depositing it across his lap. The fur was soft, even softer than Chopper's, and it had a glossy shine that made the stripes all the more pretty to see. Luffy softly stroked the fur along the tail, giggling at the image of what Zoro's face would look like if he knew what his captain was up to. No one had really taken advantage of Zoro's new look, except Robin and Nami that first night though not anymore, and Luffy had been dying to know what the fur felt like. He wasn't disappointed, and with one last pat he giggled when the tail bopped him on the nose before returning to its master.

Luffy sighed, judging by the shadows, it was going to be evening soon and they needed to get back to the ship. His stomach seconded that motion by giving a loud grumble and the young captain grimaced with remorse at the fact he was going to be forced to wake Zoro out of the first real sleep he's had in weeks. One tentative finger poked the large man, prodding him into wakefulness, but the first mate merely mumbled incoherently before once again slipping back under the folds of sleep. The captain glared at the already setting sun for not staying up longer and allowing Zoro just a few more precious hours of rest, but then gave in to continuing his task of waking said man up.

"Zoro," Luffy mumbled poking the moss headed man over and over "you need to wake up, it's almost dinner time and I'm hungry."

His only response was Zoro drawing in a deep breath so to release it in a prolonged chuff of air making the youth groan "Come on Zoro,," he whined "you need to eat too, the last time you ate was those lunch boxes Sanji made and if you don't eat soon you'll get sick."

A feline growl whispered between slack lips as Luffy came dangerously close to a particular rib, and the captain gave pause as he considered his options "I'll do it," he warned "you know I will if it means getting to dinner on time. So either you wake up, or I'll do it and you'll be grumpy."

Silence reigned and Luffy sighed theatrically "Fine, you brought this upon yourself," he said with a shake of his head "we could have avoided this if you had just woken up, but now here we are and you are not going to be very happy when I'm done."

With that being said, the captain dove forward and poked the one ticklish spot Zoro had in his entire body, right between his fourth and fifth rib. The swordsman shot out from underneath the rubbery hand with a screech, darting away to crouch on all fours a good twenty feet away his hair on end and tail puffed as he gasped for air. His one good eye was wide and his bared teeth with clenched, ready to snap at anything within a five foot radius.

"Luffy," Zoro hissed "I thought you promised you would never do that again?!"

Luffy merely shrugged "No, I promised that I wouldn't tickle attack you in front of the crew and give away your ticklish spot, I didn't promise about not using it when we were alone. Besides, you were asleep and wouldn't wake up and I'm hungry!"

Zoro narrowed his eye at him before shaking his head in disgust "You're a jerk, you know that?"

The captain gave his first mate his trademark grin "Yep, now let's go back to the ship for dinner!"

 **I know, not my longest chapter, but as you can see, it's leading into the next chapter which will (hopefully) be hilarious.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Ok! Next chapter here we go!**

Something smelled really good, no scratch that, something smelled _amazing_.

That was the first thing Zoro noticed when he walked back into the galley with Luffy. Closing his eyes the man felt a gentle purr vibrate within as he took in deep drafts of the scent while a green striped tail swished the air behind him. The smell seemed so familiar, yet the swordsman couldn't place it. Regardless he soon discovered the source being a small pot of burning incense and he eagerly sat himself down next to it. Sanji stood by biting back a maniacal grin as his mind drifted back to a conversation held not even twenty minutes before.

" _Sanji-Kun!" the dulcet tones of his angel rang out from the door leading into the galley, making the cook practically flip for joy._

" _Nami-Swaaaan!" he sang twirling over to her "how may I be of assistance to you?"_

" _Well," the ginger exchanged looks of impish delight with Usopp before continuing "we seem to come by something in the market that we were wondering if you could use for dinner tonight."_

" _Oh?" Sanji had to admit that he was shocked, normally it was the men of the crew who found some newfangled ingredient and challenged the cook to see if he could actually make it edible. However despite the irregularity of the situation, Sanji would cross over red hot thumbtacks for his beloved "and would you like me to put this in just your meal Nami-swan?"_

" _Actually it's not for us," Usopp snickered as he dug around in the bag he was holding "it's for…well, someone else."_

 _Ah, so it was a prank. Understanding blossomed in the blond man's gaze as he accepted the proffered jar "And who would that be?"_

" _Zoro," was the unanimous reply but Sanji didn't need it after reading the label._

" _Catnip," the cook deadpanned as he quirked one curly eyebrow at the duo grinning at him with matching devilish innocence "you do realize that only 50% of cats are affected by it, right?"_

" _Yeah," Nami shrugged her smile widening with malicious intent "but what if Zoro is? Don't you want to see what would happen, if he is?"_

 _The cook pursed his lips in careful thought as his baby blue eyes pondered the jar waiting in his hands._

 _A catnip crazed swordsman did sound awfully amusing, and assuming he doesn't kill them for pulling the prank in the first place it would be a pretty funny way to dissipate the tension that's been infecting the ship. Sanji thought back to the battle in the meadow between Zoro and Luffy, and how the swordsman was finally able to take the first step in letting someone in to help him carry the burden. He couldn't even begin to explain the relief he felt when the man stopped arguing with Luffy and released the pent up frustration that had built up over the past month. However that was only the first of many steps required for Zoro to well and truly return to the man had been before all this. Maybe it was too soon to try this particular joke, but then again he couldn't bear to go back to sea and deal with more of that horrible silence. The cook groaned inside himself, for once he wanted Luffy to demand a party and Zoro guzzle up all the alcohol. He wanted the wild and crazy days full of unpredictable hijinks, but when even one of their family was absent it affected everyone else intensely. This needed to stop, at any cost. With a decisive nod, Sanji made his decision._

" _Ingesting catnip mellows cats out, that's how vets make them more cooperative," the cook sighed with a playful smirk "the best way to get him going goofy is to have him smell it."_

" _Robin has that pot she burns potpourri in sometimes, and Zoro's used to seeing it burning in the galley. We could use that." Usopp supplied._

 _Sanji nodded before chuckling "This better be worth it, because moss head is not going to be happy when he wakes up from his high."_

" _Oh, it will be," Nami whispered as she took the jar from Sanji "it certainly will be,"_

Now the swordsman sat entranced, his steel grey eye watching the flickering flame as it glowed from green to blue, devouring the herbs in the pot. The man drew in a deep breath, enjoying the scent as it tickled his nostrils. "What is this?" he murmured not noticing the slight slur that his words had taken "I don't think we've ever had this before."

"No," Nami shook her head "it's new."

Robin and Usopp exchanged secretive smiles as the moss headed man hummed in response, his eyelid becoming droopy as he sucked it in the smoky vapors. The navigator however was less than patient for their fun to begin "So uh, how do you feel?"

"Huh?" the grey eye opened once again to look at Nami and a loopy grin stretched his face "I feel…kinda…nice."

The purring returned with even deeper resonance and a soft giggle slowly drifted between smiling lips. Luffy cocked his head at his first mate, poking the man with one rubbery finger "Oi, Zoro, you ok?"

"Yeah, that fire…is really pretty," the man slurred bobbing his head in time with the flame watching it move with a predatory gaze.

Luffy opened his mouth before giving a couple blinks and closing his mouth with a snap "Uh," the boy reached forward to feel Zoro's head only to yelp when the tiger hybrid leaned into the touch.

The purring reached an all-time high and the swordsman rubbed his head up and down Luffy's hand and eventually his arm, cuddling into his captain and nuzzling the rubbery shoulder with his nose. Luffy, for once, was speechless. Everyone knew that the Straw Hat captain was undoubtedly the most affectionate out of the entire crew, but also common knowledge was that the title of who gave the least amount of open affection belonged to Zoro. Not that he didn't love his crew, they knew he did with all his heart and soul, but his way of showing it would be, at best, classified as reserved. So this all out cuddle fest was shocking to the young captain as he knew that Zoro would never do it, at least not in his right mind.

With the purring, rubbing mass under his chin, Luffy scratched behind one fluffy ear absentmindedly while he stared at his crew "What did you do to Zoro?"

Sanji was bent over the counter, his thin shoulders shaking as he strained to stifle the cackles trying to spill forth. Usopp and Nami twiddled their thumbs, avoiding the gaze of their captain. Robin however smiled happily "We found some catnip today and thought to see whether swordsman-san was effected by it. It seems our experiment was a success."

"Oh," The captain before giving his signature grin "I get it, because he's been so sad, right?"

Sanji straightened up, shrugging his shoulders at an attempt of being seemingly casual "Pretty much, we were all annoyed with Zoro's moping so we decided to help the guy lighten up a little bit."

"Lightening the guy up is one thing," Franky put in, his mouth twitching as he also fought against the laughter creeping up his throat "but I think you guys got him high."

As if to help further emphasize the cyborg's point, by this time Zoro was practically in Luffy's lap, rubbing against him much like a housecat, arching his back and rolling around in circles. The man lay across Luffy's legs pawing at the dangling fingers flitting in his face before suddenly, as he twisted, the large muscled figure slipped off the bench and fell on the floor to flop under the table. The crew paused, each unsure of whether to continue the conversation or check to see if Zoro was ok. Chopper was already preparing to lean down and look, however the sound of shuffling followed by an inane giggle dissipated their concerns, making them each sweat dropped at the absurdity of such a sound coming from their swordsman.

Nami shrugged, addressing her captain as if they had never been interrupted "With everything that has happened over the past month, no one has felt like themselves. We just wanted to do something to help return things to normal."

Luffy nodded, acknowledging his navigator's concern with a serious face, Nami smiled at him "Besides, you have to admit that it's pretty funny watching Zoro act like this."

As she spoke the ginger felt fingers poking at the straps of her shoes, pawing at the laces while soft snickers drifted up from under the oak table. Raising one amused eyebrow, the navigator leaned back to inspect just what he was doing and gave an unladylike snort at what she saw.

The moss headed man lay on his back, his head flung all the way back as he played with the hem of her pant legs upside-down. He was mesmerized by the tattered fabric, his fingertips tugging at the loose threads and tracing the lines of her sandals before suddenly deciding he was bored. Rolling over he twisted with almost unnatural grace and flexibility only to stop at Robin. Her legs were crossed, and the one foot currently hanging in midair was bobbing gently. Zoro followed the motion with his head before lifting one tentative hand and giving the appendage a soft push. The foot swung back and forth before slowing back down to its original speed, and the swordsman gave a feline chirrup of delight. Lying back down, he continued his game, occasionally catching it before once again giving it a push, each time soft chirps and purrs following by giggles issuing from the smiling mouth.

Robin was finding the unwarranted attention hilarious, her face decorated by a look of fond amusement. The man was enthralled in his simple diversion, and the woman wanted a closer look at what was most assuredly an adorable scene. With a sly smile she crossed her arms and caused an eyeball to blink open at her ankle to look at Zoro. At first there was silence and then an earsplitting yowl broke through the now relaxed atmosphere as a green blur shot out from under the table and through the door of the galley.

"Oh dear," Robin said with a slight pout "I fear I may have startled him,"

As one the crew followed their first mate outside, their faces a mix of amused concern at what they might find.

Having recovered from his sudden fright, the swordsman was rolling around on the grass laughing to himself. He did this for about a minute until he noticed his twitching tail and pounced after it, his clawed hands scrabbling on the lawn to catch it. However it stayed out of reach, and Zoro bounded to all fours running around the lawn in an endless chase to ensnare his tail. Eventually though his attention span waned and the swordsman began to run up and down the ship on all fours, his muscles rippling as he pelted in a crazy pattern at full speed.

Sanji watched all this holding his sides as he guffawed in laughter. The man who radiated masculinity, the same man who sneered at behavior that was considered less than macho was acting like a high housecat. The whole thing amused Sanji to no end, and he intended to make the most of it.

Picking up Luffy's fishing rod, he attached a brightly colored feather lure and cast it over to Zoro, watching as the man suddenly paused, his predatory gaze on the intruder whom had suddenly entered his personal space. Folding into a crouch, Zoro slunk forward in silent steps until he came to a stop, his shoulder's moving fluidly as he prepared to pounce. The cook snickered to himself, before giving the lure a twitch jerking the reel back when the tiger leapt after it. Coming up empty handed, the man hissed at the retreating toy and scrambled after it. Sanji cackled in glee, the crew joining in as they watched the blond mess with their swordsman however fun in the Straw Hat crew, as it so often does, has a way of turning out for the worst.

Luffy sat watching Sanji hog the reel, and his chest puffed out in jealousy "Sanji," he whined "give me a turn, that's my fishing pole anyway, and I want to play with Zoro too!"

"Wait a minute Luffy," Sanji grunted making a narrow escape when Zoro almost caught the lure.

"No, I want it now," The captain pleaded.

Sanji swatted at the rubbery hands grasping at the reel "I said in a minute!"

Cobalt eyes burned and the boy dove forward, tackling Sanji to the ground right as he had jerked the lure skyward. With a resounding thud the two fell in a tangled mess onto the deck, but what happened next made their blood freeze and dread wash over them as cold as an arctic wave. For in that moment when the newly made cat toy flew up into the air, it had detached from the fishing lie, and dropped with a soft plink into the shifted ocean waters. Zoro had watched it soar over his head, jumping after it, and had he been in his right mind probably would have been able to save himself, inevitably following the feathery object into the depths.

Sanji and Luffy heard the plop of the lure and then the resounding splash of the first mate, and as all blood drained from their cheeks raced to the railing to see the lawn devoid of their tiger and his toy. The duo ran to the edge of the ship in a stumbled sprint, seeing only the ripples left from impact and a few meager bubbles breaking the surface. The crew stood in shock, each of their faces painted a ghastly white before all chaos broke loose.

Sanji and Luffy shrieked in unison while Nami punched them in outrage "YOU IDIOTS!"

"ZORO!" Chopper screamed "WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO?! WE GOTTA SAVE HIM!"

"I'll save him!" Luffy bellowed preparing to jump in only to be clobbered once again by his navigator.

"YOU MORON! YOU'LL JUST SINK TOO!"

"WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO, WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO?!" Usopp ran around the lawn his arms waving above his head.

"We need to get him out of the water as fast as possible," Robin commanded with authoritative urgency "we don't know what effect the ocean will have on him since he has eaten two devil fruit."

"Yeah, no kidding," Nami snapped "but none of these idiots are in the right mind to do so!"

With a roll of aquiline eyes, the Archaeologist crossed her arms sprouting hands from a nearby wall which grabbed Sanji by the shirt and threw him in "Save Zoro!" the woman barked.

Sanji hit the water face first, plowing through the waves like a guided missile. And as he made his unwilling journey through the murky waters of the deep, there was just one thought racing through his mind.

"Well that escalated quickly,"

 **YEAH! I somehow made my update deadline. As you all have noticed, Sunday nights will be my normal update time. I hope you enjoyed it and I hope I did your hopes justice for the kitty cat moments you have all been craving.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Hello Everyone, I'm sorry for the long wait.**

 **However when you work ten hours a day at a daycare, and more often than not you're pulling even more hours due to two of the teachers catching walking pneumonia or some such thing, you have very little time for writing…much less sleep.**

 **Enjoy!**

Sanji dove deeper into the roiling waves, thankful that they were docked at an island when the inevitable decided to rear its ugly head. Zoro and fallen in relatively close to the rock shelf that was supporting the island and it was logical that he had not been lost to the depths…hopefully.

The blond gritted his teeth in a savage grimace. He shouldn't have caused such a fuss, in fact he shouldn't have let them use the catnip at all. This whole mess could have been avoided if he had used his head, but Sanji had to admit (though the thought made him even more cranky) that he wasn't really used to being the sane responsible member. True he had his moments where he would lash out at Luffy for his obvious and all too often moments of sheer stupidity. He had the times where he would stand in the corner smoking a cigarette and in a very cool tone, help discuss plans for their latest adventure.

But it was Zoro who assisted Luffy in making the final decision. It was Zoro who made the sacrifices, who worked the hardest protecting the crew. Sure they yelled at him for always coming back from battles battered and bleeding, but it was common knowledge that if he went into battle alone he would come back with only a few scratches. The crew yelled in order to alleviate the guilt they felt in knowing those injuries were sustained because of their own carelessness in battle. Carelessness that was the sole cause for the man to make himself into a human shield in order to protect or even save their life.

If the roles were reversed, Zoro may have laughed at the idea but he probably would have put his foot down on the catnip. He joked around and partied with the rest of the crew, but he had a serious responsible side that kept them at an even keel and Sanji had never truly appreciated that trait until now when the man had all but disappeared from their lives. Granted that scene in the woods where Luffy had finally confronted Zoro about his antisocial behavior was a good start in the right direction. However it was going to take a lot more of those moments from everyone else in the crew to solidify the idea that Zoro was still worthy of achieving his dream. Regardless of what anyone else may say.

If Sanji was really being honest with himself, and he rarely was when it came to the moss head, the mere sight of the swordsman weeping uncontrollably because he had been wrestling with the thought that he didn't deserve his dream was excruciating for the cook. He himself had long come to terms with the fact that the All Blue may not exist, but he chased it anyway after having that selfsame battle within himself on whether or not he should do so. Sanji still remembered the emotional turmoil when had to make said decision. The choice to have faith in his dream despite the obstacles is much easier said than done, and when life throws roadblocks into the mix that seem insurmountable, it doesn't make it any easier.

Zoro was experiencing his first real roadblock to achieving his dream. Being defeated by Mihawk was just a necessary detour compared to this and in the spirit of honesty that experience had actually only strengthened Zoro's resolve. This whole mess though was something that pained Sanji to have to watch. Brokenness and depression was not a look that suited their swordsman. Speaking of which, where was that moss head?

Sanji lungs were already starting the telltale burn as his keen baby blue eyes scanned the rock shelf, and the hammering in his chest now had nothing to do with oxygen deprivation. Giving another desperate sweep of the area Sanji prepared to move on but then spotted a bunch of seaweed accompanied by sprawling limbs. Diving down, the cook would have shouted in relief had he not been underwater and would drown by doing so. With broad strokes, the cook drew close to their fallen crewmate and proceeded to drag him to the surface.

The man lay in a tangle of arms and legs, looking as if horrible pressure was driving him into the very rock supporting his weight. Sanji shook his head, as he too felt like the man had gained thousands of pounds and wouldn't budge. It was strange, the man knew Zoro wasn't this heavy, especially in water and the revelation hit him on the head like an anvil. His devil fruit, duh. The cook braced his feet onto the stone beneath them, and heaved with all his strength against the force pulling Zoro down. He almost had the man up when the strangest thing happened.

Seaweed around him moved on their own, and started wrapping themselves around Zoro's throat…

….

" _ **You have a death wish, don't you?"**_

Zoro's eye fluttered open at the voice and a wheezed groan whispered from parted lips "Huh? T-Tora?"

" _ **Yeah it's me you imbecile, Kaze is here too but is currently pouting."**_

" _ **I'm not pouting you overgrown house cat!"**_

The swordsman drug himself to his feet and looked around the familiar bubble of light with his devil fruit spirits lurking in the shadows "Why're you upset?" he snorted in slight amusement.

" _ **Who says I'm upset?"**_ Kaze sniffed indignantly still refusing to look at the man.

Zoro merely quirked an eyebrow as a sly smirk stretched his mouth "Well you're acting like a girl for one thing…"

" _ **No kidding,"**_ Tora muttered.

" _ **I am a girl you nimrod!"**_

… _ **.**_

Sanji pulled at the seaweed desperately, his hands already beginning to bleed as the tough stringy plants refused to rip. His body begged for air, pleading as the tender lining in his lungs felt like they were being subjected to a blowtorch. The man forced himself to look past the discomfort, choosing to wait until the very last minute before resurfacing to get another breath of much needed air.

Drowning aside, the cook was extremely disturbed at the way the seaweed was fighting him. Every time he managed to remove one strand, two more replaced it squeezing Zoro's windpipe with a vengeance. The slack mouth was already tinged heavy with blue and Sanji could not fight the wing of panic that battered his ribcage. At last the cook couldn't stand another moment and scrambled for the surface while his eyes turned to cast a worried gaze over his shoulder at the swordsman still pinned to the rock shelf. He needed to help Zoro, but he also needed to get some more air, and maybe a knife.

…..

" _ **YOU'RE WHAT?!"**_ the tiger roared his topaz eyes wide in shock.

"EH?!" Zoro's mouth fell open as he suddenly felt like Nami had just slapped him across the face "You're a…I have a…but that's just…" the swordsman shook his head vigorously "never mind, I'm going to file that away and deal with it later."

Tora snickered provoking the moss headed man to shoot a sharp glare his way "So why are you upset?" he queried, gentler this time.

" _ **Because….Because…you're such a MAN!"**_ Kaze shrieked in a fierce gale.

"Uh," Zoro turned to Tora with a helpless glance "translation?"

Tora merely snorted in response _**"I'm a devil fruit who has spent 99% of my lifetime locked inside the souls of users with no interaction with others of my kind. Do you really think I have any more experience than you when it comes to dealing with women?"**_

" _ **Oh please,"**_ Kaze huffed _**"women don't have to be dealt with, and if they do then it's because men are too stupid to read between the lines!"**_

" _ **Men can't read between the lines, it's a psychological genetic trait,"**_ Tora chuffed haughtily _**"we prefer plain English. If you say you're fine, then we take your word. If something is wrong then tell us, but all that huffing and pouting isn't going to help you because unless you say it bluntly, we won't understand!"**_

"Aw come on," Zoro groaned "in all the users you've inhabited you've never been eaten by a girl, or had a guy who was married?"

Tora shrugged _**"No, all my users have been pirates or idiots who wanted to use it for fame and glory. Once I was even lost for a good four or five decades. However I have never had a female user, as women are generally more cautious about eating devil fruit than men are."**_

" _ **Because women are smarter,"**_ Kaze snipped.

" _ **It has nothing to do with intelligence!"**_ Tora roared _**"we just operate differently! Women thrive and are driven by emotion, men are driven by logic. You can whine about how we don't understand you all you want, but it would help if you would just SAY WHAT YOU MEAN!"**_

"Oh for heaven's sake," Zoro growled rolling his eye "seriously, if the two of you decide to fight and kill me now after all my hard work just surviving I'll haunt your fruit till the end of time and ensure that all your users are miserable."

" _ **That's impossible,"**_ Kaze scoffed.

"Try me," Zoro snarled because last time I checked so was surviving eating two devil fruit."

The two spirits dutifully snapped their mouths shut in a sulky silence allowing Zoro to continue as he turned his steel gaze back to the wind spirit "Now WHAT, has gotten you in such a snit?!"

Kaze shrugged but two feline growls from the men watching her made her mutter _**"You're such a man, you always depend on Tora to help you. You always turn to his strength, but I'm merely a toy for your amusement. You haven't even tried testing your powers of the wind yet. Brute force is more your forte while I get left out neglected in the cold."**_

Zoro released a moan of irritation as his head fell back so to stare at the circle of light above him "Honestly? That's it?"

….

"Get me knife!"

Nami nodded running to the kitchen to fetch one of the many kitchen knives before returning to the railing and tossing the blade to the waiting cook. Sanji caught it deftly before gulping a deep breath of air and dunking back under the waves.

Zoro still sat in his spot but now the seaweed was wrapped around his entire body, crushing him in their grip. _'Don't worry Marimo,'_ the cook thought _'I'm coming,'_

…..

" _ **THAT'S IT?!"**_ Kaze wailed in a piercing scream _**"YOU INSOLENT CHILD! HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE LEFT FORGOTTEN AND ALL YOUR GIFTS REJECTED?!"**_

"That's not what I mean!" Zoro bellowed over the pounding wind "If you would let me finish, you would know that I was going to tell you that I was planning on training with your abilities soon!"

" _ **Oh really?"**_ Kaze snapped _**"And why am I supposed to believe you? You've done nothing but learn Tora abilities since you woke from the coma."**_

"Yeah because I prefer tackling one thing at a time," The swordsman spat "I wanted to have a basic handle on the tiger abilities before I started learning the wind side of things!"

Kaze sat back, her lips pursed in thought before nodding _**"Fine, but you better keep your end of the bargain and start training."**_

Zoro nodded before Tora gave a yawn _**"Now back to the order of business,"**_ he purred _**"how is it that you keep ending up here? Honestly the amount of near death experiences you have is worrying for one as young as you."**_

The swordsman merely shrugged "How am I supposed to know, you guys were the one who said that I won't be able to talk to you again until I challenge you to the duel."

" _ **That's the thing, it should be,"**_ Tora said _**"this only happened again because like an idiot you decided to try and kill yourself again."**_

Zoro prepared to respond with a snarling retort but was cut off by the other spirit " _ **Which, if you think about it, provides us with some interesting new possibilities,"**_

Zoro and Tora looked up, their argument forgotten, as the wind spirit gave a sly smile _**"Makes me wonder if we will be able to come in contact like this again, maybe awaken your abilities beyond what merely dueling would entail. What if the duel is unnecessary?"**_

Zoro leaned back, crossing his arms over his chest "What do you mean?"

" _ **Yes Kaze, please explain,"**_

The wind spirit stroked her chin thoughtfully _**"We've seen that under certain circumstances, most often when life and limb or in deathly peril, our new user is capable of falling into the space where we reside. What if we can take it farther, what if he trains and figures out how to get us into the space where he lives as well?"**_

" _ **That would take much training, not to mention hundreds of hours of meditation."**_ Tora purred his eyes gleaming with the new challenge _**"However I must admit that leaving my host and for once feeling solid ground beneath my paws is very…agreeable."**_

"But if you left my body, and were outside, does that mean I would still have control over your abilities?" Zoro's mind whirled with the possibilities new hope fluttering in his chest as he grasped what it could mean for him "Or would I be normal, like I was before I ate the fruit?"

 _ **"Depends on your definition of normal,"**_ Tora snickered making Zoro hiss.

" _ **Maybe, maybe not,"**_ Kaze murmured, ignoring the tiger, here lavender eyes steely with understanding at what Zoro was getting at _**"We won't know until we successfully leave your body. Even before we can consider doing that though, we must first establish a line of communication, you must achieve a bridge where we can speak like this at all times. It is only after you manage that that you can start in evicting us from your body and start experimenting on the effects of such a venture."**_

A broad grin overtook Zoro's features as his shoulders felt suddenly lighter, with a loud smack he punched one fist into an open palm "Then let's get started!"

" _ **I'm so glad you agree, now you'd better go…you're drowning as it is."**_

…..

Zoro awoke with a jerk, dimly aware of the grass underneath him and the worried shouts of his crew accompanied by the hacking coughs of the cook beside him.

"No Zoro, you need to lay flat!" Chopper ordered, his small hooves pressing his shoulders back towards the deck.

The man nodded numbly his chest heaving as he struggled to draw breath "Wha-What happened?" he asked in a hoarse whisper.

"What happened?!" Sanji shrieked sending himself into a short coughing fit before recovering in record time so to continue his rant "I fought off rabid seaweed to save your sorry hide, that's what happened!"

The swordsman's eye widened at the man's words "Huh?"

Sanji rolled his eyes flopping back onto the deck and threw one arm over his face "I give up," he moaned melodramatically "I give up constantly saving your butt and getting zero thanks for it."

"Sanji, stop moving!" Chopper snapped "you're going to aggravate your injuries further and I'm not done seeing to Zoro's yet!"

The moss headed man slowly looked over at the blond and gave a visible wince at what he saw. The normally pristine hands were shredded and bloody, bits of skin hanging off in macabre strands. Zoro swallowed the bile that rose up from the sight of one of his closest friend's injuries sustained at his expense and quickly averted his eye as guilt sunk in his stomach like a ten ton weight. He hadn't missed the man's prize cooking knife that lay not too far from where they were, its usually glistening blade stained green with a dark slimy substance.

"Sorry," he muttered still refusing to look at his nakama who lie gasping next to him.

Sanji waved the apology away with a crimson laced hand "Whatever, it's not like you asked the seaweed to assassinate you. I guess I was wrong about seaweed wanting to reclaim you, they didn't like your hair either."

Zoro snorted at the poor attempt at a joke as the reindeer continued to fuss over him, more so at the swollen bruising around his neck which Zoro remembered from times past was usually caused by attempted strangling "So I guess that the sea really doesn't like me, huh?"

"No duh, Sherlock!" Sanji spat though a grin hid underneath the arm still flung over his eyes "you should have seen those things, they looked like creepy green snakes, and every time I cut one, three more would wrap around your body. I was worried you would be dead before I even got you back to the ship!"

"Aw," Zoro teased his guilt being washed away by their familiar bickering comradery "you were worried about me?"

Sanji opened his mouth to shoot back a retort but finally closed it when he came up with nothing "Oh shuttup," he muttered with a pout.

The swordsman grinned at his victory and lay back on the grass allowing his eyes to flutter closed. He had a goal now, and he intended to tell his crew about it once he was rested. The man felt the telltale prickling of anticipation and excitement crawls across his skin. All hope was not lost, he officially had something to work towards instead of mope over, and he was sure that his family will give all the help he needs to see it done.

 **WHEW!**

 **Does that make up for the missed week?**

 **Please say yes, and please REVIEW!**

 **I want to know everyone's thoughts about where you think it's going, your emotions concerning it and what you think about making the devil fruit spirits a more main part of the character cast.**

 **THANK YOU!**


	13. Chapter 13

**So the sea certainly doesn't like poor Zoro. Here's the next chapter!**

"You did WHAT?!"

Nami and Usopp winced at the feral ferocity now found in Zoro's roar as an irate green tail lashed the air behind flattened ears while a snarl twisted the swordsman's mouth "I can't believe you guys!"

Nami pouted, crossing her arms under her ample chest with a huff "Oh please, we only did it because you've been avoiding the crew like crazy and brooding more than you usually do. We did what we thought was necessary to try and jolt you out of your funk."

"By almost killing me?!"

"You falling into the water wasn't our intent!" Nami squawked.

"Oh that's right," Zoro snorted craning his head to the side as Robin worked on spreading a salve around the burns on his neck from the seaweed attempted strangling "you just wanted to get me high on catnip, and of course no one even had the smallest stray thought that it was a bad idea."

"Come on," Nami groaned her eyes growing stubborn.

Sanji cleared his throat from where he was sitting letting Chopper bandage his hands "Look Zoro, they were just trying to lighten the mood."

"Giving a crewmember mind altering drugs isn't how you lighten the mood!"

Franky winced while Usopp cast guilty eyes to the table "Zoro," the sniper spoke quietly "you've been so upset ever since… the marine base. You avoid us unless absolutely necessary, and more often than not you're holed up in the bottom of the ship. We didn't know how to approach you about it, so we thought that maybe a practical joke might, I don't know…break the ice?"

"Break the ice," Zoro scoffed as the swordsman rose to his feet in slow measured movements, his face a storm cloud of anger "Fortunately for you guys I made a break through that will help with my current problem, but unfortunately for you I'm not exactly feeling too generous right now considering the fact that you drugged me so you can just wait until I'm good and ready to let you in on it!"

"Aw come on, Zoro!" Luffy whined his bottom lip stuck out in a sulky pout "I wasn't in on it! Why can't you tell me the mystery plan?"

"Because you'll blab it to everyone else!"

The captain slumped back against the wall crossing his arms with a huff "Stingy,"

"Come on Zoro-bro," Franky placated his massive hands spread in front of him "I know you're upset, and yeah it was a dumb thing to do, but at least tell us what you mean?"

Zoro released a feline hiss accompanied by a snarling growl, making the cyborg wince. The swordsman nodded in satisfaction at the quiet that finally met him. It had only been a few hours since his breakdown with Luffy, and while the swordsman felt a little better, especially considering he had a new goal to work towards, he could not shake the instinctive pull to keep his crewmates at a distance. He wanted to trust them, and in a sense he truly did, but this was a battle they could not even try to comprehend. Even he wasn't sure how to approach it, and this uncertainty was not something he particularly enjoyed.

And now this new betrayal.

He understood they were desperate to get him back to his usual self. The fear and concern that had been building over his month of solitude driving them to commit an act that had disastrous consequences. He felt great anger at the trespass, but he could not deny the empathy he felt towards the reasons behind their actions. The two emotions fought within him, much like the raging spirits who could at any moment tear him apart from the inside out in agonizing shreds. To forgive his friends and take the necessary steps towards repairing the brokenness he had inflicted upon the crew, or to continue drawing away, choosing isolation over their concern? The question weighed heavy on his mind, suddenly transforming the spacious galley into a stifling oven the restricted his breathing and bound his thudding heart in merciless leather straps. He had to get out, and he had to go now, before he makes a mistake in judgment.

Breathing heavily through his nose the man closed his one eye as he gathered his senses to calm his inner world "I'm going out," he growled "I need to clear my head and I haven't been off this ship on my own for way too long."

With a muttered "Don't wait up," the man walked towards the door of the galley and slipped through with the silence and grace of his new feline genetics.

Silence reigned in the chamber before the crew suddenly released a breath they hadn't realized they had been holding, while Usopp buried his face in his hands "Go ahead and say it," he moaned "me and my stupid big mouth."

"It's isn't your fault," Nami patted him on the shoulder "we were all in on it, and it was admittedly a bad idea."

"But still…" the sniper huffed before his eyes widened in sudden revelation "you do realize he's on the island alone, right? Which mean he could very well be lost, and we don't know what after effects the almost drowning could have on his body."

"Oh no," Chopper gasped "what if he has another seizure, or what if he gets surrounded by marines _while_ having a seizure?!"

Sanji smirked as everyone's face paled in unison and finally decided it was time to step up "I guess that's my cue, I'll bring the idiot back. I do have the most experience doing so after all.

"Are you sure?" Nami quavered hesitantly "he seemed pretty mad, maybe some time alone might not be such a horrible thing."

"I'm not begrudging the moss ball the time he needs to think through this, though we all know that such an endeavor would probably overheat what little brain the guy has at his disposal," the cook shrugged in seeming carelessness "but we all know what dangers are out there, even on what we think are peaceful islands. As much as I hate to admit it, and trust me I do, Zoro isn't in any shape to fend for himself, at least not yet."

Nodding to his family, the cook gathered up the katana that had been brought back on board and slung them over his shoulder where they dangled by a rope that had been tied to their sheaths. He knew Zoro wouldn't take them, but the man was practically begging to be treated as normally as possible, and to be honest, Sanji wanted to see what progress had been made now that the swordsman had his 'discussion' with Luffy concerning his worth to chase after his dream. Shoving one bandaged hand into his pocket, the cook strolled out of the galley and into the star lit cover of night.

….

Zoro inevitably found himself back at the meadow where he had his fight with Luffy, this time however the man no longer felt out of control but rather he was thoughtful. Softly padding across the grass, now tarnished from the day's activities, he set himself down at the spot where he had created a small crater with his fists and crossed his legs in a meditative pose.

Tora had told him that it would take many hours of meditation to achieve entering that space where his spirits reside, and the swordsman did not feel at all unhappy with the prospect. Zoro smirked, remembering how Kuina hated meditation, she was always a bundle of nervous energy, always seeking to spar or train. He on the other hand found it relaxing. The swordsman enjoyed closing his eyes and allowing his senses to drift. Connecting with the earth, connecting with the air and finding pathways into the darkest reaches of his heart had always proven to bring a soothing balm to the scarred edges of his soul. Zoro allowed his breath to even out as he sunk into the first stages of meditation, allowing himself for the first time since the seizure after he had just woken from his coma to fly on the wind.

His spirit plucked itself from his body, shooting into the sky much like a firework. The man marveled at the feeling of freedom, and spread his translucent arms wide allowing himself to release a silent laugh as he spun in a slow circle. The island lay hundreds of feet beneath him, he could not even see the meadow where his physical body still sat.

' _Alright Kaze,'_ Zoro thought as a relaxed smile spread his lips _'let's see what you've got,'_

Flipping backwards in a lazy loop, Zoro shot forward with the speed of a bullet, travelling across the shimmering waters of the sea. Skimming just above the waves, he chuckled at the sea kings gliding just beneath the surface before breaking forward at an ever increasing speed.

Zoro was thrilled, the power and the energy he felt by allowing himself to delve into this part of himself was beyond expectation. He suddenly realized that if he wasn't careful, he could easily get addicted to flying. The man burst up and out as another island came into view. Zoro smirked, feeling an odd itch to cause mischief, and allowed himself to be blown into the nearest village, bouncing off walls and buildings making people cry out in alarm at the sudden gust. Zoro flew into the market his face alight with glee, before suddenly feeling hungry. Lazily reaching for an apple it was his turn to give a yelp as he watched his hand go right through the fruit, and the man snatched his hand back with a pout.

Glancing at the woman behind the counter of the booth he waved his hands in front of her face, trying to get her attention but to no avail "That's nice," she sighed one hand running through her dark hair to pull back the sweaty bandanna covering her head "such a beautiful breeze tonight."

Zoro felt one eyebrow shoot skyward as he realized that A) this was the first time anyone had ever used the word beautiful to describe him, and B) that apparently he was invisible in this state. Oh well, the man thought with a shrug, at least he was gaining new and valuable understanding for how this one ability worked.

…..

Sanji walked through the forest, his gut leading him to check the meadow first as it seemed that the man gravitated towards it the first time he had stalked off in search of solitude.

His efforts were rewarded as he walked into the clearing finding his rival sitting in the iconic position the crew had become very familiar with as his meditation pose. Sanji crouched in front of the all too still man, watching as he breathed in and out his face for once the visage of peace, devoid of the furrowed lines that usually marked his features. The cook chuckled, feeling free to poke the man on the cheek knowing full well that it would take more than that to stir Zoro out from his meditation. The mirth turned to a despondent sigh as he continued to search the man's face in a desperate attempt to find some kind of clue towards returning him back to wellbeing.

"What are we going to do with you marimo?" he murmured.

Silence was his only reply and the blond shook his head so to clear it of the depressing cobwebs. Reaching up, the man plugged Zoro's nose, as that was the only way to garner his attention. Within moments, the man shifted and writhed, trying to get his face away from the pale hand holding onto his nose before a steel grey eye burst open with a strangled gasp being pulled through his mouth.

…

Zoro shot towards the clouds, one hand reaching towards the stars, the only thought on his mind being to see how far he could actually go before he was pulled back to earth. Suddenly though he felt a strange pressure on his face. The man batted at his nose, feeling an invisible hand pinching it, but found nothing. His lungs immediately started screaming in protest and the man clawed at his chest, not understanding where this feeling was coming from before he found his incorporeal form being dragged through the sky back towards his body. His mouth hung agape in a soundless scream as he was flung across the horizon and plummeted back into the meadow where he sat.

The grey eye fluttered open as his lips instinctively parted to draw in a saving breath before his gaze sharpened into focus to see the cook sitting not even five inches from his face. Zoro's drew back in a violent jolt as a yowl ripped itself from his chest and the man found himself leaping high into the air only to stop to cling from a branch in a mighty hissing fit.

"You moron!" Zoro bellowed from where he hung "What is it with you and Luffy?! Do you think I enjoy waking up with your stupid faces right in front of me?!"

Sanji grinned a laugh bubbling up from his throat as he watched the man look very much like an irate housecat that had been startled "Why are you here anyway," Zoro continued his ears flattening on his head as his expression turned sour "I told everyone I wanted some time to myself."

"Chopper was worried you'd have another seizure from your contact with the sea," Sanji shrugged as he stood to his feet "besides, we never did get to have our hunting contest, right?"

"So you were sent to take me back to the ship?" Zoro groused unhappy with this scenario.

"I merely offered to babysit you so that you can still have some time to yourself," Sanji smirked knowing how his statement would irritate Zoro "besides with me here I can stretch my legs with a little exercise, and you're still spared having to sit on the ship."

The tiger hybrid pouted before sliding down the trunk of the tree, his claws leaving deep gouges in the bark "Fine, but stay out of my way,"

"Sure thing," the cook grinned at his victory before pulling his load off his shoulder and holding them out to his rival "by the way, I thought you'd want these to hunt with."

Zoro once again felt his heart leap in his throat at the sight of his katana, but this time it was different. Gone was the self-loathing, and the inevitable panic attack that followed any attempt towards grasping their smooth sheathes. Instead a firm conviction pounded in his heart telling him that he still was unworthy to carry them, but only for a short while longer. Shaking his head softly, Zoro gave his friend a weak smile.

"You hold onto them for me," he rasped, voice heavy with emotion "I can't take them, not yet at least. There's something I need to do first."

Sanji felt stark relief wash across him like an ocean wave, leaving him slightly dizzy with elation "This have to do with that mystery plan of yours?"

The swordsman chuckled and gave a slow nod "Yeah," he murmured "and I can honestly say that I'm doing everything in my power to make sure that it works."

"Fine," Sanji quipped, pulling the swords across his back and tying the rope snugly across his chest "then I'll keep these for you until you're ready to get them yourself."

Zoro felt a relieved lump form in his throat at the cook not pressing or prying into his business. The man may be annoying and may be one of the few people that could make him lose his temper in record time but he had also proven himself a reliable ally and friend. Despite their differences, Sanji was willing to bear the burden of guarding Zoro's dream until he found himself fit enough to carry it on his own. That in itself was a weight off the swordsman's shoulders, and most importantly his heart. His crew did care, and though they showed it in odd ways, Zoro knew he could trust them to help him through this most terrible of trials. Maybe he could forgive them their trespass, and move on with his plan. With their help, he may see results faster than if he attempted it alone.

And so with a small breath the man respectfully inclined his head towards the closest thing he had ever had to a brother "Thank you," he whispered.

Sanji snorted, turning his head away as a blush of discomfort from the look of gratitude adorning Zoro's face stole across his cheeks "Oi, I'm not doing it for you," he coughed "I'm only doing it because Nami-swan and Robin-chwan are worried about you."

Zoro smirked at the obvious deflection "Of course," he chuckled.

"And don't think that I'm going to carry them forever," Sanji continued his rant, oblivious of the vast amount of entertainment Zoro was getting from this "because these things are heavy, and it will be annoying to fight with them strapped to my back, so you better hurry up and get your stupid green butt in gear!"

"Of course,"

"And another thing-!"

"Sanji!"

The cook paused in his tirade, finally looking the swordsman in the eye only to find the man practically laughing at his discomfort "It's fine," the moss headed man grinned "thank you for guarding them."

A companionable quiet stole across the meadow as the two rivals chuckled at each other's idiocy. True it had been hard, and yes Zoro's spirit had almost been broken beyond repair but the duo had found a new form of friendship that had somehow been borne in through the hardship. Sanji could only shake his head at how the man that irritated the fire out of him and somehow become his trusted friend and also brother. They bickered, they sparred but they would always have each other's back. That was the way it was in the Straw Hat crew. No one was an island unto themselves, and it took almost dying at the hands of a crazed Marine and surviving only to discover his life was drastically changed for Zoro to finally understand that. And just maybe, it took all that for Sanji to see that the swordsman wasn't as shallow as initially thought.

Zoro was dense, directionally challenged and definitely had a one track mind. But he had an inner world that roiled with emotions, hopes, dreams and goals. His mind was filled with his fears, doubts and worries for the future. And unfortunately it took this terrible incident for the crew to see him as more, human. He wasn't indestructible. He wasn't an emotionless mass of muscles. He was a swordsman who lived and died by the blade, with a strict code of honor seared into the tender flesh of his heart.

Zoro would get his swords back, of that Sanji was confident. He was sure that he wouldn't be carrying the burden of Zoro's dream for long, because if he knew anything about the moss headed man, it was that Zoro was stubborn. The swordsman will find a way out of this and reclaim his katana to take his rightful place at the top as the World's Greatest Swordsman. It was only a matter of time.

 **Sorry that took so long to write,**

 **I literally had like, five directions that this chapter could go playing pinball inside my head.** **Finally I decided on this one, because it is the one that makes more sense.**

 **Please REVIEW and I hope you enjoyed this latest chapter!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Hello everyone! Sorry for the late update, but the past several weeks have been beyond stressful and a tad heartbreaking.**

 **Enjoy!**

Sanji watched a meditating Zoro carefully from where he was serving the girls, despite appearing as his normal attentive self to all his lady's needs, the cook was tense and ready to jump in if the swordsman went south.

It was strange how much things had changed between the two of them. The subconscious fear that the man may still relapse into another of the terrifying fits that so often accompanied his recovery had made Sanji unknowingly adopt a protective watch over his friend. When once he had picked fights with Zoro at least once a day, if not every hour, the cook had calmed down considerably allowing the moss headed man the space he needed to make sense out of his predicament. What was once a stern rivalry, somehow the relationship had evolved into a deep friendship that fostered a trust usually seen only between brothers. The cook huffed a small laugh at the absurdity in that very thought, who knew that idiot would become one of his closest friends.

Nami was also watching Zoro with interest.

She studied him, the way his brows furrowed as his meditation wore on. His jaw would tense, and a thin sheen of perspiration would dot his brow as he pushed into some unknown realm that the navigator could only guess at. The most telling clues were his new appendages. The fluffy ears which had once been perked up, fluttering as they followed the assorted noises of the crew, were now flat against his skull. The tail twitched in ever increasing irritation, and the woman chuckled softly as she watched Zoro spiral further in an aggravated tizzy. He was all but growling, and finally Nami could bear it no longer.

Snapping her book shut, the woman padded across the lush grass towards their swordsman, a smile quirking the corner of her mouth "You're never going to make any progress like that."

Zoro slowly opened his good eye so to pin her with a fierce glare "Like what?"

"Your frustration is preventing you from reaching your goal," Nami replied succinctly "one of the key ingredients to true meditation is allowing yourself to relax, you however are wound up too tight to achieve even the first plane of meditation."

"So what do you suggest I do, oh great and wise one?" Zoro snarled his unhappy grey gaze locking onto a blade of grass that he now picked at despondently.

"You haven't napped in days, especially since we left the island." The orange headed woman demurred "Maybe you should give your body a break and relax, take an hour or so off from meditating, and just enjoy the sunshine?"

Zoro opened his mouth to shoot back a retort but found longing at her suggestion fill his heart over just taking a simple nap. True, he was determined to meet his new goal, however he was exhausted, spiritual training was just as grueling as its physical counterpart plus the breeze was so nice today…

With a muttered "Fine," Zoro slid sideways to thump onto the grass and curl up into a half moon, his tail swishing across the lawn to complete the shape. A heavy eyelid slowly closed with seeming reluctance even as a cloud unveiled the sun making a purr rise from his chest as his muscular frame became drenched in its rays. Nami watched in satisfaction as their swordsman once again resumed his favorite hobby before turning around and pinning Luffy with a glare.

"If you, or anyone else wakes him up," she hissed "I'll personally make sure you regret you were ever born,"

Looking back over at the green haired man, Nami smiled fondly as she watched his breathing even out, showing he had well and truly fallen asleep. Tip toeing away, the navigator intended to go back to her book but paused as Franky came clanking up from the underbelly of the ship. The woman immediately turned on the man, placing a slander finger against her lips in the universal symbol of "BE QUIET".

The cyborg cocked an eyebrow in confusion but paused when he noticed Zoro sleeping on the grass and suddenly his gaze cleared as understanding lit behind his signature sunglasses "Whoa," he whispered "is Zoro-bro actually sleeping? He hasn't done that in….weeks!"

Nami nodded relieved that the large man understood before noticing the large box he held in his hands "What's that?"

"Oh this?" The cyborg's chest puffed out in pride as he jerked his head to the side indicating Nami come closer "it's a new invention Usopp and I have been building, granted it's all still very experimental, but we have high hopes for this baby."

"What is it?"

"All me to introduce the cleaning bot!" Franky displayed taking the object out with a flourish "Basically it stays in the galley and is able to climb down the stairs to the men's quarters to assist in cleaning. It's totally self-automated and should help cut down on the clutter immensely!"

Nami grinned in approval "That's amazing!" she gushed "You should take it up to Sanji and show him!"

The two set off, walking towards the galley as their voices rose in excited chatter rousing a certain swordsman. The man groggily looked around the yard, his feline instincts suddenly upset with his current position before they caught a particular object in their crosshairs. A box, and a big one.

With barely a thought, and driven purely by instinct, the exhausted half-conscious man drug himself across the lawn on all fours, his tail swishing behind him before crawling up to fall headlong into the box. Shuffling around until he had found a comfortable position, the swordsman gave a sigh of content, falling ever deeper into the folds of sleep. This whole scene had been viewed by the highly amused aquiline gaze of the archaeologist and the cobalt eyes of the Straw Hat Captain. Luffy grinned, giving a silent chuckle at the cat like behavior while Robin merely smiled. They would keep their promise and remain silent, in spite of how entertaining it was, Zoro desperately needed his rest.

…

"Captain Rosso, we have acquired a lead that should take us to the same island in which the Straw Hats will be making port!"

Rosso smiled, a scalpel flickering between his fingers anxiously as he watched the horizon from the helm of his ship "Thank you lieutenant," the man grinned "tell the engineers to do what they can to add more speed to our voyage, I want to catch up in time so to capture our prize."

"YES SIR!"

The Captain turned from his current post, glee causing a spring in his step as he descended the nearby stairs so to evaluate the state of his lab located in the depths of the ship. All things considered this was a regular Marine vessel, but Rosso had added something special, a lab built for the specific task of analyzing and the experimentation of Devil Fruit Users. He had constructed this sanctuary in hopes of one day finding someone strong enough to survive the effects of eating two devil fruit, and now at long last he would have the chance to put it to good use. Rosso felt a smile twitch the corners of his mouth as a sadistic gleam brightened his gaze. Soon, just a little while longer and he would have his prize.

….

Sanji walked out of the galley, his mouth open as he drew in a deep breath ready to declare the imminent serving of lunch when he noticed something odd. Cocking his head, the blond strolled down the stairs to see a long green striped tail hanging over the edge of a box currently hanging out in the lawn. Finally approaching the contraption made of wood, Sanji could only splutter as he struggled to stifle his snorts as he took in the sight of Zoro curled into the most awkward ball within the box. Doubling over, the man braced his elbows on the wooden edges shaking his head fondly at the man who he saw as both his rival and adopted brother.

"Your body finally gave out on you, eh?" Sanji murmured rolling his eyes "Not that I'm surprised, you haven't napped much less had a decent night of sleep in weeks."

Said man merely murmured in his sleep, shifting just enough so he could roll over and chuff a sigh while one ear flickered lazily. Sanji suddenly wondered what the fur felt like, watching as the fluffy appendages twitched and fluttered.

"Is everything alright, Sanji-san?"

The cook leapt a foot in the air, barely restraining a yelp at the sound of Robin walking up behind him "Y-Yes, of course Robin-chwan!" he stammered chuckling nervously as he rubbed the back of his neck "I was just about to let moss head here know lunch was ready!"

The archaeologist gave a sage nod looking into the box and also graced the sight of the sleeping Zoro with a soft smile "It is almost a pity to wake him, is it not?"

Sanji finally relaxed letting the tension roll off his frame "Yeah," he agreed sullenly "I almost want to let him sleep, but if he doesn't eat he might have another seizure and who knows if that might lead to a relapse."

Robin hummed in agreement before reaching down to play with one of the striped ears, giggling softly when the silky fur flit between her fingertips, Sanji watched in curiosity opening his mouth to voice what he had long wondered but never dared test out for himself "What does it feel like, his fur?"

"Like a cat," Robin replied simply, her elegant fingers massaging his scalp eliciting a rumbling purr from the swordsman "he even has a soft spot behind his ears."

"Really?" Sanji's eyes were wide as dish plates "I never considered that as a possibility, I thought the fur ended where the hair began."

"No, see for yourself,"

Where once he was hesitant, now Sanji was diving in headfirst. At Robin's mere suggestion the man was now willingly stretching his arm into a box containing a sleeping tiger to pet its ears. He would later come to regret this decision, and rue the day he personally came to understand the adage 'curiosity killed the cat', but for now he wanted to satiate that nagging in the back of his head on what Zoro's new ears felt like. Luffy apparently knew what they felt like, and Robin had no issue whatsoever playing with them so it couldn't be such a big deal, right?

Questing fingers stretched towards the object of their desire before finally latching on and giving a soft scrub. The cook's eyes widened, and his jaw dropped. Robin was right, his ears really were soft. Like the finest silk they whispered between his fingertips, fluttering at the slightest touch. Reaching down further, the blond quickly discovered the velvety patch of fur right below ear and gave it an obligatory scratch. The purrs increased in volume as Zoro leaned into the touch a smile twitching his mouth and a sigh of content slipping between partially parted lips. The cook laughed watching the man react very much as a cat would, rubbing his head into the palm of Sanji's hand unconsciously asking for more.

However it was this continued contact and the laughter now coming from both Sanji and Robin that finally roused the sleeping swordsman. One steel grey eye slowly opened, blinking away sleep as his groggy brain processed that someone was touching his ears. No matter the fact that it felt good, he had not asked for nor invited such physical contact and a whining feline growl slowly built in the depths of his throat. This ominous sound went unnoticed however as the person in question kept playing with his ears, and with a jolt and a yowl Zoro burst up from his curled position batting his claws at the unwanted hand, his lips drawn back in a hiss.

Sanji retracted his limb, thankful that Zoro had not drawn blood but angry over the sudden outburst "Jeez, what's your problem?!"

"My problem?!" Zoro snarled "Why were you touching me?! I always knew you were a pervert, but this is ridiculous!"

"I wasn't touching you!" Sanji protested "I was…."

Zoro quirked an eyebrow waiting the cook's response "You were…?"

"I was testing a theory!" Sanji exclaimed as if he had suddenly discovered the meaning of life "Robin-chwan and I were having rational discussion on whether your ears felt similar to a regular cats, and we were testing out to see if our theory was true."

"By touching my ears?" Zoro asked watching as Sanji nodded vehemently "and playing with them?"

"I wasn't playing with them!" Sanji screamed "Besides, you were the one purring!"

Zoro reared back, his cheeks flushing a deep red before deciding to change tactics through changing the subject "Well why are you here anyways, can't you see I was asleep?!"

Sanji took a deep breath, collecting himself before turning around and stalking towards the galley "Lunch is ready moss head, and Nami-swan said we should be making landfall before dinner so you'd better eat now before we're busy docking at the island."

Zoro shook his head growling in frustration at the man "Weirdo," he growled softly.

Robin merely chuckled, having watched the entire exchange with great amusement "Cook-san cares a great deal about the crew's well-being, which includes you. He only wants what is best for you."

Zoro cast a slow gaze at the mysterious woman he had come to trust since she joined their wacky cruise "I know that," he acknowledged in a huff "but it doesn't make him any less annoying."

Robin giggled at that reaching out to ruffle the green head and give one last stroke to the silken ears, ignoring the warning growl Zoro gave her "Regardless, you should probably come to lunch, I don't remember the last time you ate and it would be unfortunate to worry the crew any further by having a seizure."

Zoro stifled the growl and nodded his acquiescence, before the sudden revelation of just where he was struck him "How…" he began tentatively "did I get in this box?"

Robin's laughed "If I fits I sits, I believe is the term," was his only answer making Zoro's cheeks flush in shame as he regained small snippets of memory showing him that he himself was responsible for climbing into the box like some oversized house cat.

With a muttered curse the swordsman stumbled out of the box and started his trek towards the galley, unaware of a certain sniper who had been watching from the shadows, a plan in mind and mischief glinting in his gaze.

 **I know its short, and I know I haven't posted in a while. I'm sorry, I recently had knee surgery and then I moved out of state and now even more wonderful emotional rollercoastery stuff is happening. I hope you enjoyed this latest installment, and please review!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Yes, I know I have a lot of explaining to do because of my absence.**

 **Long story short I have traveled cross country, experienced multiple break downs on the highway, had not had any access to internet that would allow me to update and we literally only just stopped in our travels long enough to breathe. Stress has been high, time limited and brain function at an all-time low.**

 **So I said all that to say this, I humbly apologize to you my dear readers for making you wait so long, it was not my intention to disappear for an undetermined amount of time.**

 **I will get back to my writing, and will be enforcing an update schedule of one chapter per week, which will be updated and posted by Wednesday. Thank you for your support and I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

Zoro strolled into the galley, his tail twitching in irritation at being found in such a compromising position. However there are worse things than discovering he had been napping inside of a box like some overgrown cat, and Zoro could only sigh as he decided to move past his experience.

The crew, and Zoro himself, have all become comfortable with his new appearance and feline tendencies. It was weird at first, but if one thing could be said for the Straw Hats it was that they could adapt to any situation with lightning speed. Granted the idea that Zoro was weakened to the point that he would randomly require their protection was still a bitter pill to swallow, but they took to their new responsibility with the same fervor that they displayed when they were called to protect any other member of the crew. In the recent weeks since Zoro's near drowning the swordsman had visibly relaxed around his crew, no longer feeling ashamed or uncomfortable with his odd set of new quirks. It seemed he finally had come to terms with the lifestyle thrust upon him.

The distinct smell of grilled fish, swai judging by the scent, made the moss headed man lick his lips in anticipation and his stomach give a rumbling growl. To green tiger ears were at attention as one steel grey eye roved the table searching for his plate. Sure enough, in his usual spot piled high enough to almost rival Luffy's, was the smell he was looking for and the swordsman happily sat down so to tuck in. The galley rang with raucous laughter, shouting and the occasional screech of someone scolding their captain in the inevitable attempted thievery of their food. Zoro smirked, a happy purr vibrating deep in his chest at the silly scene his crew made whilst eating.

For the first time in a long time the swordsman could finally admit to a feeling of contentment. Sure he was stuck as a devil fruit eater, and even with the new training to try and shove his spirits into the real world, Zoro knew that it wasn't a permanent solution. He had managed to achieve speaking with them, though not attaining entering the space where he could see them, but if he meditated deep enough he could hear them softly whispering to him. It was in these snatched moments that Zoro learned the devil fruit spirit is at heart a parasite, they cannot survive without a living host of some kind. Thus why they are forced into a fruit when dormant. So Zoro understood that he would have to remain their vessel until they could find something, or someone, else to take his place.

Zoro chewed another forkful of the tender fish thoughtfully, his lips pursing as he pondered if he could simply shove them out of his body and they enter the body of another. It could work, he mused, but of course he wouldn't give his spirits to just anybody. He needed to find two people who would prove to be good masters and not turn into another pain in the butt for his crew. Maybe Coby? Nah. That kid was in the navy, and though he had a strong friendship with Luffy, he had made his stand clear that he wouldn't let that get in the way of his dream, and Zoro as well as his captain respected that. Tashigi? The swordsman gave a snort, why was all the people he thought worthy part of the navy? Personally he blamed Luffy's odd ability to make friends with everyone he met, which knew no limits be it race, gender or profession.

Zoro gave a silent shrug to himself, he would consider just who to inherit his devil fruit to once he had managed learning how to get them out of his body.

Suddenly a large beeping sounded on his right, garnering the attention of the swordsman and immediately eliciting a sharp feline yowl as he leapt from his spot at the table only to land in a crouch on one of Franky's large shoulders. The reason for his reaction? A mysterious machine bustled around the table, clicking, whirring and beeping as it cleaned up the food that fell from the table. Zoro felt his ears flatten against his skull as he batted a clawed hand at the annoying thing, his lips drawing back to reveal fangs so he could release a fierce hiss every time the contraption drew too close.

Zoro paced on all fours back and forth along Franky's shoulders, very much resembling the tiger within, a low animal growl emanating from the base of his throat. Occasionally the man would pause, his body tensing when the machine came near him all before resuming his angry pacing. Franky observed this with a raised eyebrow before turning his head to address their first mate.

"Uh…you ok bro?"

"What is that thing?!" Zoro snapped.

"It's a cleaning machine," the cyborg replied "Usopp and I built it so to help with keeping up around here."

"Well I don't like it," the swordsman pouted crouching down low so to give yet another threatening hiss "it's creepy,"

The crew stared, once again gobsmacked into a state of shock as they desperately tried to decide whether to laugh or not. Zoro, unstoppable Zoro, the man who lived through countless horrors was creeped out by a…robot?

Ok, maybe it was understandable why he was so put off by robots considering his history with them, especially ones whose image reflected a certain man by the name of Kuma. But this robot wasn't even slightly at that level, not even close! So the idea of their swordsman hissing and spitting at a diminutive clunker was somewhat…hilarious. It started as a snicker on the right from the cook, which escalated into a giggle floating up from a certain pink hat pulled tightly over a blue nose. A black afro snorted, and a wide grin stretched under a straw hat. It wasn't until Robin chuckled that everyone broke out into loud guffaws, some even slapping the table as mirthful tears streamed down now aching cheeks. Zoro's bottom lip jutted out but he made no move to descend from his perch.

"'S not funny," he mutter unhappily.

The crew could not help but disagree as a new wave of giggles and snorts echoed in the galley. The swordsman continued to pout, but he couldn't help a small smirk to quirk one side of his mouth at the admittedly absurd picture he was currently painting for the crew. Granted it wasn't like he could really control his odd tendencies, sometimes the cat in him reacted quite…dramatically to new developments. Not to mention the weird burst of energy he got at 3 in the morning, though it helped now that Chopper had finally released him to resume his training. Zoro still hadn't touched his swords, determined to only regain them once he had removed the stain on his honor. Just a little longer, the man mused wistfully, just a little longer and he will have attained the level of meditation to force the spirits out of his body at will and thereby bequeath them to another regaining his human form.

Nami, her eyes overflowing with happy tears as she laughed opened her mouth to speak but was cut off by a violent boom. Lightening flashed, and the lights flickered as a storm of new world proportions caught their ship and threw it into a spin.

As one the group jumped up from their seats and sprinted out into the rain, their eyes hard with determination as they prepared to do battle with nature herself. Zoro released a sharp hiss as the first raindrops hit his skin, each one burning and tingling like small drops of acid. The moss headed man paused as he suddenly marveled at the rain and how it felt, a new revelation of understanding breaching his consciousness. So this was what it was like to be a devil fruit user in a storm at sea. Zoro had sometimes wondered if they were effected, and he knew his symptoms were emphasized by the fact he had two spirits, but still it was a sobering thought that the members of his crew who had eaten devil fruit probably felt a measure of pain every time they wrestled with the rain.

A sudden shout brought the man plummeting back to reality as he whirled up to see Sanji struggling with the sails, his pale hands grappling with wet cloth as it threatened to tear itself from frozen fingers. Nami clutched the wheel, her teeth grit as she fought to keep control of the ship and Franky stood behind her keeping her safe from waves threatening to sweep her off the ship. The rest of the crew was also in a state of disarray, but the worst of it was Chopper gripping the main mast, his frightened scream lost in the howling gale of wind that tore at his soft fur dragging him towards the edge of the deck.

Zoro made to run towards the main mast, but froze as he felt another familiar presence shift the air around him.

" _ **Boy, this storm is too strong, if you wish your crew to survive then heed my words!"**_

Torn the man literally swayed between the two decisions "But," he coughed completely oblivious to the fact that Kaze was speaking to him without him going into a meditative state "they need me!"

" _ **Duh,"**_ Kaze replied sarcastically _**"so shut up and do as I say so you can be of real help to them!"**_

Zoro sighed, swallowing a heavy lump of fear for his nakama as he closed his eye in resignation "Fine," he growled "but hurry up so I can save my friends!"

" _ **Good, now open your eye and look, concentrate and you will see seams in the wind."**_

" _ **The seams?"**_ Zoro was no longer speaking out loud, he had fallen into a complete meditative state.

" _ **Yes, the edges where one breeze collides and converges with another, you will grasp those seams and with my help you will control them like a master puppeteer!"**_

The man nodded opening his steel grey eye, vaguely acknowledging the screaming of his crew for him to come to their aid in some way, and locked on to what Kaze had commanded he look for. Just as she had said, paper thin seams, looking almost like disembodied string, floated and roiled through the air. Zoro reached out his hands, not knowing what to do yet instinct leading him in the proper direction. The seams fluttered in between his fingertips, making the swordsman smile softly at the odd sensation they provided before he grabbed them in a viselike grip.

Usopp had been shrieking at Zoro to do something, anything! However the man seemed to be having a nervous breakdown, he was standing in the middle of the upper deck in front of the galley with his arms outstretched and wiggling his fingers! Usopp opened his mouth to scream one more time at their dense comrade when suddenly the fists clenched with palpable force and a shocking change descended on their swordsman.

Moss green hair topped with tiger ears disappeared, replaced by a flowing silver mane with elfin ears stretching out on either side. His grey eye glowed a fluorescent green as his form took on an ethereal light accented by the snowy white wool yukata that suddenly appeared on his form. The sniper's mouth dropped open as he took in the amazing sight, Zoro no longer looked like the burly swordsman they all knew, now he resembled something akin to a wind spirit. Anticipation prickled across the man's skin making goosebumps appear and Usopp shivered, though definitely not from the cold, something big was about to happen and the sniper had the best seat in the house.

Zoro breathed out, feeling phantom hands guiding his own as he wove each strand into a complex knot. Pushing and pulling in gentle movements that reminded him of the waves crashing on the shore, Zoro felt the resistance of the wind as he somehow began directing it. Sanji had lost the sail long ago, allowing it to fall back into place, and the idiot was staring at him in wide eyed shock for some reason, but Zoro didn't think about that. The sails were exactly where he wanted them. With a small grunt the man continue his coaxing, clawed hands beckoning the winds and pushing them in the direction he desired, or more specifically into the sails. The ship lurched forward with sudden speed, pelting its way through the cascade of raindrops but Zoro did not feel it. His footing sure, his mind focused, the man had become one with the wind but now stood proudly as its master.

A wicked grin lurked across Zoro's face as a feeling of limitless power filled his limbs, causing them to quake under the pressure, but still he did not fail in directing the ship out of the storm towards safety. Zoro marveled at the enormity of possibilities he could suddenly see all too clearly. With this power he was unstoppable. Suddenly he couldn't remember why he wanted to get rid of it in the first place. The sheer thrill of controlling one of nature's elements, even in a severe storm, was intoxicating. The power of flight was addicting but this… He could easily attain being the strongest warrior in the world and never even have to touch his swords again!

Suddenly his heart seized as a cold feeling crept over him, and the man was sent tumbling to his knees on the deck grasping his chest as sharp wheezing gasps sucked into a wide mouth. Air suddenly felt too precious and too limited, but beyond that Zoro was reeling with the terrifying thought of almost tossing away his dream and breaking his promise to Kuina. He had been so close…so close to betraying his childhood rival and breaking the most important promise he had ever made, the very idea made a violent feeling of nausea roll through his stomach and Zoro felt himself gag.

He barely comprehended that his crew had gathered around him, oblivious to the rays of sun now warming his rain sodden back and careless of the choked sounds he now was giving as he hyperventilated. Yes, he was tired and probably strained his body from using her powers too much too soon, but Zoro didn't care. His mind was still caught in the storm, and it was filled with fear of his powers taking over, possessing him and degrading the resolve he had to defeat his spirits by physically pushing them out. He needed to get them out, and soon, otherwise he may change and not for the better.

With that last thought echoing in his mind, Zoro closed his eye as he felt a needle plunge into the back of his neck filling his veins with a liquid that would render him unconscious. The swordsman drifted away into the pitch black of a drugged sleep, his body thrumming with an even stronger determination to rid himself of the Devil Fruit powers.

 **Was this acceptable as an apology chapter? I hope you enjoyed it, and please REVIEW!**


	16. Chapter 16

The swordsman lay curled in the fetal position on the floor in the headspace where his spirits resided, and yet… for some reason he couldn't move or speak. It was as if he were laying in a coma even here. His eyes were closed and he was sure that as far as his spirits were aware he appeared to be dead. He could hear Tora growling and pacing on his right, frustration rolling off of him in waves.

" _ **You went too far Kaze!"**_ he snarled.

Kaze merely gave a disdainful sniff _**"Please,"**_ she sneered _**"I've taken him farther than you've ever dared! You haven't even allowed him to access his full battle form yet! He's just stuck in that pathetic neutral form."**_

" _ **Because his body isn't ready,"**_ Tora growled menacingly his heavy paws giving pause so to surely glare at the petulant wind spirit _**"I forgot that you've been missing for many centuries, you haven't had as many users as I. So let me spell this out for you, users cannot immediately access their ultimate abilities within months of eating their fruit! It takes years of training and conditioning their bodies to be able to overcome the side effects that come with each new level of power! If Zoro were to access his true battle form right now, the usual side effect of such a transformation would be he would shrink into a tiger cub, and his body would not be able to handle the strain of that when he currently has a second spirit residing inside of him! He would die! He's LUCKY he didn't die from you trying to force his ultimate wind form on him, if I hadn't stopped you in time he would surely be dead!"**_

" _ **But he's stronger than normal users, you've said so yourself,"**_ Kaze pouted, refusing to admit her negligence _**"besides they needed his power so to survive the storm!"**_

" _ **That is just an excuse and you know it! They had survived much worse storms before, you only wanted to push your control onto Zoro and take him for yourself!"**_

Kaze scoffed, a whine building in the bottom of her throat sounding much like a child about to throw a tantrum _**"Like you said, you've had many users, and I want him for myself! He's mine, I refuse to share him! With this vessel I could easily take over the world, we could do anything, but no…you and your lazy feline butt just have to always get in my way!"**_

" _ **I won't let you take him Kaze,"**_ Tora bared his teeth in a promise of pain should she defy his wishes _**"this child is too strong and too valuable to this world for me to allow you to use him as another one of your puppets. Don't give me that innocent look, I know of you. I've been around long enough to have heard tales of how wind users eventually go mad with power until they die from their own destructive ambitions. This boy is special, I will protect him, even if it means that I die and never regenerate."**_

" _ **You'll have to fight me for him then,"**_ Kaze grinned more than content to kill the user in their battle rather than let another fruit other than herself have him.

" _ **On the contrary,"**_ Tora purred his enormous frame settling onto the floor into a comfortable sprawl _**"the best way to defy you is to simply ignore you. The child's body accepts me as its neutral form, and as long as I have that piece and do not take your pitiful bait for battle, the boy is mine to protect."**_

Kaze snarled, throwing razor sharp whip lashes of wind across the expanse at Tora. The tiger winced as each attack made bloody contact, but he made no move to block or reciprocate her violence. The swordsman felt his stomach clench and his breathing become ragged an uneven as the tantrum continued, blood poured from Tora leaking into the glowing circle and Zoro shivered as he felt an indescribable chill wrack his body. The man unconsciously curled into himself a low pitiful whimper of pain whispering between now blue tinged lips as his chest constricted to agonizing levels. The swordsman struggled to breathe, his lungs fluttering as he labored for each wheezing gasp until finally he managed one choked message.

"P-p-please," he spluttered through bloodstained lips "Please….STOP!"

….

Zoro suddenly came to, thankful for once that he was waking up on the soft couch cushions in the galley instead of in the infirmary. That in itself spoke volumes that he didn't worry his crew as much this time. However, the galley was steamier than he remembered and the mere fact that he was buried underneath a heavy pile of blankets was suspicious. Zoro could only imagine just what happened after he passed out.

Remembering the conversation he heard between his spirits, the man opened his eye as fear stole over his frame. So he was right, Kaze wanted more than to just coexist with Tora, she wanted complete control. The very idea was mildly upsetting, because just when he thought he had a chance at freedom, now once again his life hung in the balance between two spirits who could easily begin to do battle killing him in the process. A shiver slunk down his spine, making a chill pass over his body despite the warm atmosphere and the layers of blankets covering him from chin to toe. However Zoro shook any negativity from his mind, deciding rather to get started with his day rather than dwell on things that only brought feelings of insecurity.

Breathing in deeply through his nose, the man attempted sitting up, wincing as his body groaned and creaking making him give an involuntary hiss of pain. This of course alerted every Straw Hat in the vicinity, which was of course all of them, that their swordsman had finally come back to the realm of the conscious.

The crew stood, each wanting to rush over and check on the man, but his trembling hands scrubbing at an unfocused eye stalled their concern forcing them to maintain their prior positions. Chopper was the only one who made his way over to Zoro in a seemingly casual fashion, eyes serious and professional as he assessed his patient.

"How are you feeling?" the reindeer questioned succinctly as he began checking the swordsman's vitals.

"Like I was run over by the sea train," Said man grumped as he massaged his eyes to try to regain some clarity.

Chopper merely nodded "You're going to feel some disorientation because of the drugs I had to give you to even out your breathing."

Zoro sighed, unhappy with how routine this had now become. His weakness clearly on display in front of the crew, and him without the slightest ounce of strength to even put up a convincing façade. He had thought he had come to terms with this by now, but it seemed that bitterness still lurked in his heart and not being the pillar of power that he once could claim to be. A burst of longing for the times when he didn't need drugs just to survive day to day enveloped Zoro, making his eye mist over but the man shook the tears away. This emotional rollercoaster had made him too apt to cry lately and he was stopping it now. Or at least he was going to try.

"What happened?"

The reindeer looked up at Zoro's question, soft brown eyes meeting molten silver "Your system was going into shock," he replied softly "I guess switching from your tiger fruit to the wind fruit and using so much of its power sent you vitals into a tailspin. Your core temperature dropped to dangerous levels I guess due to being soaked in the rain, and your breathing was erratic at best. Not to mention you started coughing up blood. We had to bring you into the galley next to the stove and wrap you in layers and layers of blankets to bring your temperature back to where it needed to be, and Sanji has been boiling water all day to assist in opening up your airways. I'm just happy you didn't choke on the amount of blood coming up your throat, I almost considered putting a tube back in so you could breathe but you finally stabilized so I didn't have to."

Zoro grimaced, a look that the small doctor did not miss as he nodded his head in agreement "It seems your body mixes better with the tiger as you haven't had a seizure when in full tiger mode in well over a month, however just that few moments of harnessing the wind almost sent you into one. We're lucky we caught you in time and pumped an elephant's worth of sedatives into your body before it fell completely into shock."

Smiling in satisfaction the reindeer dusted off his little hooves and patted Zoro's arm consolingly "My recommendation is that you avoid using your wind fruit for now until it has had a better chance of settling into your system. Granted you did save us from a horrible storm but I'm worried about how much you may have unconsciously strained your body. Tonight and tomorrow though, you will be confined to the galley. Sanji will keep the steam up until I'm sure your lungs are healthy enough for outside, and you will be expected to rest on the couch as I'm sure you'll soon discover that your muscles are extremely weak."

Zoro groaned, both about being grounded to the galley and the fact he was told that he shouldn't access his wind abilities "Kaze isn't going to like that," though he agreed with Chopper, Zoro couldn't help but wince thinking of the tantrum he had witnessed within the mindscape.

"Who?"

Zoro turned towards the source of the question only to see Usopp staring in confused interest "Oh yeah," he murmured "I forgot I didn't tell you guys about them."

The straw Hats were now once again seated only this time they had all dragged up a chair or settled themselves much closer to their swordsman. Happy relief painted each of their faces at his quick recovery (or quicker than it had been since the marine base incident) and now they were ready to hear one of the secrets Zoro had been keeping so to distract themselves from the most recent scare concerning the moss headed man's health.

"Yeah, I reiterate," Usopp said with a cheeky smirk "who are you talking about?"

"Apparently devil fruit have spirits in them," Zoro shrugged

"Well yeah," Nami shrugged "everyone knows that, at least that's what the stories say."

"Yeah," Zoro nodded, "but I actually met mine."

"EH?!" was the unanimous cry from the crew, which ironically included Luffy.

Zoro rolled his eye, and reached forward to punch Luffy (who was now perched on the headrest of the couch) across the back of his head and bellowed "You already knew that moron!"

"Oh yeah," Luffy chuckled sheepishly.

"HEY!" Nami yelled "why does he already know?!"

Zoro felt his face heat up with a blush and his mouth gaped as he scrambled for an answer that didn't include admitting to the entire crew how he had almost given up his dream and then sobbed his eyes out like a small child into his captain's shirt. However his brain blanked and much to his chagrin the cook came to his rescue "It's a long story that none of you need to know or care about," the blond drawled between exhaling a long draw of smoke "but since Luffy IS the captain, it makes sense that Zoro would talk to him about stuff first, right?"

The crew muttered their pouting acceptance of said statement but Zoro was reeling, his silver gaze locking with baby blue clearly conveying a message asking how Sanji knew about that moment in the meadow and was he there. The cook just smirked haughtily, answering the moss headed man with a look of his own confirming that yes he was there, yes he saw the whole thing and obviously he wasn't going to tell the crew. Zoro growled under his breath unsure whether he should feel grateful towards the man or just rip his throat out for being so annoying. Finally he gave up feeling either emotion with a sigh and just returned to the matter at hand;

"At any rate," Zoro snarled his green striped tail lashing the air behind him "I discovered that apparently every devil fruit has a spirit, and those spirits have certain…personalities." The swordsman rolled his eye thinking about Kaze "It's almost unheard of that 'users' meet their devil fruit spirit, so it's possible that I only met mine because I was forced to eat two."

The crew nodded, understanding painting their features before Usopp spoke up again, reiterating his previous question "So who is Kaze?"

"Kaze is the spirit associated with my wind fruit," Zoro shrugged before a wicked smirk adorned his chiseled features "and she's a real witch, even worse than Nami."

"HEY!" Nami shrieked but was cut off by Franky stepping in front of her impending tantrum.

"Wait..." the cyborg murmured "are you saying that you…"

"Have a chick inside of you?" Usopp finished.

Zoro's features shut down, his face turning a slight tinge of green that almost matched his hair "Yeah," he muttered in almost a grieved moan "and she's really loud. I have to meditate for almost an hour before I can speak to Tora, but she just shrieks whenever and wherever she wants to."

"Ah!" Brook suddenly spoke "that would explain what I saw last night!"

"Huh?"

The skeleton merely chuckled at Zoro's grunted query "Whilst you were controlling the storm and guiding us through to safety, I remember seeing a translucent figure woven within your ethereal glow. It was that of a beautiful woman with long pointed ears and flowing silver hair. It appeared that she was floating behind you and was controlling your body with what seemed like silver strings."

"WOW!" Chopper squealed stars in his eyes.

Zoro merely nodded "Yeah, that's pretty much how I remember it, she took over and guided my hands to get us out of the storm."

Sanji's jaw dropped and he clenched an elegant fist, there was a beautiful woman's spirit inside the marimo?! How could that be?! She must be so miserable trapped inside the form of such an uncouth Neanderthal, any lady in her position would be starving for attention and care. He needed to give her the worship she deserved! Besides duty dictated that he treat her as elegantly as he did the other ladies, but… Sanji's eyebrow twitched as a horrible thought crossed his mind. That would mean he would have to serve the moss head as her proxy! The very idea of bowing and scraping to Zoro, practically sacrificing his manly pride, brought on a wave of agonizing flashbacks from his two years on…that island. Suddenly his very existence seemed futile and Sanji felt himself falling into a pure white comatose heap on the floor, surely his spirit was already leaving his body, while tears streamed down his cheeks in hopeless rivers.

"SANJI?" Chopper and Usopp shrieked before the reindeer transformed into heavy point and rushed the man into the infirmary leaving the crew in a surprised and somewhat confused daze.

Each wondered what would bring on such an odd reaction from the normally cool and collected cook before Zoro finally broke the gob smacked silence.

"Was it something I said?"

 **YAY! I kept my promise! Ok, so now that I updated please read, enjoy and REVIEW!**


	17. Chapter 17

Zoro yawned, his fangs on display for all to see, before his face returned to the frustrated pout he had worn since Chopper's order of house arrest, or to be more precise galley-arrest. True to his word, Sanji had continued keeping the air of the galley perfectly balmy so to ensure no undue strain was put on Zoro's lungs. The man was grateful for the cook's diligence, but annoyed with his current lack of motor skills. True the reindeer had warned him about how weak his muscles would feel, but the man didn't expect them to imitate hot wax when he attempted to use them. The memory of literally falling on his face and having to be picked up by his crewmates only made the man's mood sour further as fluffy green ears plastered themselves to his skull and Zoro chuffed out a frustrated growl.

"Glaring at the window isn't going to make Chopper release you any faster," Sanji sighed.

An incoherent grumble was all the cook received in return for his pains, and the blond rolled his eyes at Zoro's petulant behavior. It was funny just how many moods this guy had, Sanji mused to himself. Everyone thought that he was so big and scary, but the truth was that for all his bluster and three incredibly sharp blades that could slice you in the blink of an eye, Zoro acted like a kid. Especially during his moody days when he would sulk for hours because the one person other than Luffy allowed to boss him around, who also happened to be an adorable reindeer the size of a teddy bear, had once again forbade him from going outdoors. Sanji gave a small snort of amusement at the image that thought afforded, yup, Zoro was just a big kid. A big, pouty child forced to watch everyone else have fun through the window.

A slight smirk quirked the cook's mouth as he stifled a giggle.

The night before had been rough, what with learning that Zoro had the Devil Fruit spirit of a woman inside of his body, and then forced to stay in the kitchen so to babysit the moss ball and his currently delicate lungs. Sanji had to come to terms pretty quickly on how to treat Zoro. It wasn't as difficult as he had first imagined though, before last night he had never considered that the devil fruit had genders, and thus had never thought it important. For all he knew Luffy could have the Devil Fruit spirit of a woman, and no one knew because as Zoro said, users rarely ever met their spirits.

That thought made the cook give a pained grimace followed by a slight gag. Yeah, better not to think about the devil fruit as having genders, because then he would have to treat Zoro and Luffy like he did the ladies, and that was not an option.

Giving a firm nod to himself, the cook smiled happily at how rational and mature he was before a gruff voice popped his self-satisfied bubble "Do you realize how many faces you make when you're talking to yourself in your head?"

The cook whirled up, his jaw dropping at the altogether feline smug grin Zoro currently wore, the tip of his tail swaying back and forth much like a cat who spotted his prey would. Sanji hated that look, because every time it made him feel like he lost, and no way was he going to lose to Zoro! With narrowed eyes, Sanji reached forward to an item he had only recently placed on the sink. It was supposed to only be a joke, but now the cook found the idea all too tempting.

So with an elegant hand, the chef of the Straw Hat Pirates grasped a water spray bottle uttering a stern "Quiet, you." and then proceeded to squirt a firm line of water directly at their tiger's nose.

If Sanji was hoping for a fantastic result, he got one because Zoro's reaction was far and above what he could've hoped for. Zoro yowled and screeched, his muscular hands curling into paws as he batted at his face all the while hissing and spitting. Sanji stood behind the counter of the kitchen, his jaw hanging loose, and maniacal giggles slowly began to bubble up from the depths of his stomach. Not because the scene was funny, though it most certainly was, but simply because he realized that if it weren't for Zoro's current weakness he would most assuredly be dead right now. The very simple fact that Zoro couldn't walk without assistance was the factor keeping him alive and Sanji was going to make the most of it.

"You…stupid….JERK!" Zoro snarled one hand still rubbing the water from his face, and a molten silver eye pinned on the dumbstruck cook "You better start running because when I get out of this galley, I'm going to hunt you down and tear you to pieces!"

Another squirt of water was Zoro's only reply from the blond which sent the man into another hissing fit. Sanji slowly looked down at the spray bottle in his hand in awe, as if it suddenly held all the secrets to the universe, "Sure," he smirked triumphantly "that is, if you can get close to me,"

The cook brandished his new weapon, the thrill of victory thrumming in his chest when he saw Zoro flinch, the telltale feline whine resounding from Zoro's throat as he growled at his rival at the mere sight of the thing. Sanji couldn't help but grin, "Finally, I can get you properly housetrained,"

"You use that thing on me again, and I swear-!" Another spurt of water cut off Zoro's train of thought making him yowl.

"Oh you are SO DEAD!" Zoro hissed ferociously.

"Possibly," Sanji cackled continuing his barrage of water squirts each time Zoro mouthed off "quite possibly, but at least I'll die happy!"

….

A scream pierced the air, reverberating through the navy war ship, making each of the Marines within duck their heads in fear as they turned their attentions back to their individual tasks. It was common knowledge that if you were not looking at least slightly busy then you would run the risk of catching the attention of the captain, which would result in the possibility of a "visit" to the lab. Such visits never ended well, especially considering the high turnover rate they had stationing new Marines onto their ship. Every month a group of twenty or more fresh faces would arrive on deck, but no one told them that the chance of making it off the ship or being transferred to a new ship was slim to none. They would discover that quickly enough on their own.

Deep in the bowels of the ship within his specialized portable lab, Captain Rosso leered a devilish grin at his latest test subject. Yet another life flushed down the drain, he mused as one hand reached for a surgical knife, but all's well that ends well, at least he can do an autopsy. The grin soured, shrinking by at least two molars as images of one particular project flashed before his eyes, making the smile transform into a sneering grimace.

"Curse that blighted pirate," Rosso growled savagely "how could he have survived? What was so different about his physiology?!"

The man slammed his scalpel back down onto its designated table, dark eyes swimming with a disturbing madness as he clenched his fist "Why," he snarled "Why, why, WHY?!"

Rosso pushed his tools onto the floor in a wave of fury before pounding his hands on the examination table screaming in frustration. The door burst open showing a concerned underling, the barest wince flashing across his face when he recognized the dead body currently on the table, before he schooled his features back into a more neutral look "Sir?" he stammered his face paling "Is something wrong?"

"YES!" Rosso shrieked pouncing on the young man and gripping two fistfuls of his shirt "Everything is wrong!"

The underling felt his chest heave as stark terror overcame his senses "S-Sir?"

"I need his body!"

"Whose?"

"Roronoa Zoro," Rosso hissed "I need his body, I need to find out why he's different and I need to know WHY! Why is he still alive and every one of my other test subjects are not?!"

The man shook his head, his face blank as horror mounted "I'm not sure I understand, Sir,"

"Of course you don't, you only transferred here in the past month you don't know anything about my pet project who escaped from me," Rosso murmured his eyes widening with a deranged light as he gently stroked the hair of his underling "what would you know about shattered dreams, and hopes left in the gutter of despair when your greatest triumph disappears from existence."

The young man gave a heavy gulp, closing his eyes with a fearful whimper as Rosso continued "What would you know?"

"N-N-Nothing, Sir," the young man replied with a choked sob.

"Of course not," Rosso sneered releasing the Marine watching him fall to the floor as his legs gave out in relief "how close are we to our destination?"

"W-We're less than a day away, the short cut worked out in our favor, Sir, and will be docking a full ten hours behind of the Straw Hats."

Rosso nodded his head slowly, "How are you sure that they will be docked at that island?"

The underling gulped audibly, choosing his words carefully before proceeding "The last island they stopped at was some leagues ago, and they have not been at any of the islands in between. According to our navigation specialist, the log pose will require two days to reset, so it is likely that they will still be at the island and will remain there long enough for us to set up an effective trap for our target."

"Good," Rosso smiled maliciously "that's very good, you may go."

The young man dashed out of the room, his legs trembling bad enough for him to stumble most of the way until he had managed to crawl up the stairs aiding him in escaping the lab. Rosso sniffed disdainfully at the swift departure before turning back to his current project. He would get Zoro, and then he would find out just what made the man so different from all the others.

 **I know it's short, and I apologize for everyone being forced to wait on my update. Last week was crazy busy, but I hope this made up for your wait. Please REVIEW!**


	18. Chapter 18

**And we're back! Thank you all who have stayed loyal to this fic despite my nonsensical update schedule, I hope you continue to read, review and enjoy this odd result of my imagination.**

"I mean it, I'm going to kill you!" Zoro snarled from where he lay on the floor, chopper and Usopp hovering nearby as Sanji cackled in the background.

The reindeer sighed, shaking his head as a small hoof came to rest on his brow. Just a few short moments ago he had heard Zoro screaming at Sanji (which wasn't all that unusual) and he had decided to go investigate so to lecture Zoro about straining his already damaged lungs. However when Usopp opened the galley door, presumably to tell the duo to shut up, the squawk of surprise followed by wide eyes forced the doctor into a run. Those two could be up to anything and suddenly Chopper found himself rethinking leaving Zoro alone with Sanji as his main source of supervision. Honestly, the cook was just as immature as Zoro. This thought was only validated when the reindeer walked into the room with the blond squirting his rival with a spray bottle. All the while Zoro was putting into action his promised murder attempt by feebly crawling across the floor, hissing and spitting the entire way as clawed hands batted at the steady stream of water pointed in his direction.

"This is too great!" Sanji hooted, squirting Zoro again and again enjoying the dramatic reactions they elicited from the tiger hybrid.

Usopp stood by, his jaw hanging in dumbfounded shock at the childishness on display before casting the reindeer a curious glance "I thought tigers like water?"

"Really?" Chopper deadpanned "that is what you're wondering after looking at _this_?"

Usopp shrugged "It's Sanji and Zoro, they've been worse than this loads of times, at this point I'm not even surprised anymore."

Chopper opened his mouth to bite back a retort only to find that he couldn't. It quite honestly was true. The rivals had been known for acting more immature than they were now, on multiple occasions no less. "You're right," the small doctor groaned "I hate to say it, but its true."

"Exactly," Usopp affirmed with a happy nod "so about my question?"

Chopper rolled his eyes "You like baths and playing in water too, right?" he asked waiting for the sniper to nod before continuing "well how would you like to be squirted in the face repeatedly?"

Usopp pulled a grimace "You're right," he blanched "water is fun, but only on my terms."

"Exactly," Chopper replied with a nod that mirrored Usopp's "Now, we need to break this up. You take Sanji, and I'll handle Zoro."

"Oh right," Usopp moaned "you get the one who's powerless to do anything, and I get to be kicked to kingdom come."

"Sanji won't kick you," Chopper waved as he began to approach Zoro.

Usopp merely gave a derisive snort "Yeah, says you."

The reindeer shook his head with a fond smile, listening to Usopp step up to Sanji and began bargaining with the cook for the spray bottle. However the doctor immediately turned his attention on Zoro, dark eyes assessing his condition.

The man was sprawled at the foot of the couch, face pale and slick with sweat, as he struggled to pull himself along the wooden floorboards. Unfortunately his body was not willing to cooperate as he resembled more of a newborn kitten scrabbling around its nest then the tough swordsman that he was. His chest heaved as he fought for air that only came in wheezing sips into fluttering lungs and the normally active tail drooped with apparent exhaustion. A fierce trembling crept across Zoro's shoulders and down his back, even as his muscles bulged in one last failed attempt to move his prone body. Finally he collapsed in on himself, harsh gasps jerking his shoulders up and down as he labored to breathe, and the man rolled onto his side curling into a ball as strong arms cradled his aching frame.

Chopper moved swiftly while Zoro was in a position easy for carrying, transforming to Heavy Point and depositing the struggling swordsman back onto the couch. The reindeer tucked the blanket tightly around the quivering broad shoulders, before nodding in satisfaction and noting that Zoro had inevitably fallen asleep. No doubt riddled with fatigue from pushing himself too hard, too soon. That one thought made Chopper see red as he whirled on Sanji and used every facet of his current lumbering size to loom over the cook with what he hoped was an intimidating glare.

"And what," Chopper barked in the blonde's face "do you think you're doing endangering the condition of MY PATIENT?!"

Sanji felt all the blood drain from his face leaving him ghostly pale "Uh," he chuckled nervously feeling much like a small child explaining himself to the irate doctor "cheering him up?"

"THAT was your idea of cheering Zoro up?!" Chopper hissed with barely concealed fury.

"Yes! I mean, No! I mean…" Sanji floundered before smiling sheepishly up at their resident physician "What was the question again?"

Chopper sighed, narrowing his eyes at Sanji before muttering "You, are an idiot."

Sanji felt his heart plummet. Never before had he been insulted by the small animal, Chopper was too kind for that sort of thing. Sure, he played around, and usually his insults were directed at people who wouldn't listen to the doctor's orders, but he never had looked so serious before. The cook gave a heavy gulp, his shoulders slumping like a schoolboy being scolded by the teacher as Chopper continued.

"I thought I could trust you with Zoro, especially since you two seemed to have reached an understanding these past several weeks, but I see I was wrong." The reindeer gave Sanji a look of utter disappointment which only made the blond feel worse "from here on out I'll be overseeing his recovery."

"Aw come on Chopper," Sanji protested trying to dispel the feelings of guilt weighing heavy in his chest "it was just a bit of fun!"

"The last time you had a bit of fun, Zoro almost drowned!" Chopper snapped back making the blond flinch "I'm tired of everyone setting his recovery back all because you want to have fun at his expense!"

Sanji clenched his fists fury rising in his heart at all the blame being put on him before deflating when baby blue eyes met hardened black. The cook sighed in defeat, then walked around Chopper towards the door of the galley "Fine, whatever. I need a smoke."

With that, the blond was gone leaving his crew dumbfounded in his wake. Usopp looked at Chopper then the door, before scrambling outside "I'll go talk to Sanji!"

Chopper was frozen where he had stood berating their cook, his body slowly shrinking back to its normal size, while indignant fury battled within his heart against shamefaced guilt. What had he just done?

"You didn't have to be so hard on him."

The small doctor whirled around to see Zoro barely conscious, but still regarding him with a serious gaze "I know," the reindeer mumbled with a liquid sniffle "and now I hurt him really bad because I let my anger cloud my judgment."

Zoro merely snorted, a sleepy smirk quirking one side of his mouth "Nah, I think you just made him feel really guilty, which is something he isn't used to so he freaked. Curly-brow will be fine, just give him time to cool off and then go apologize."

Chopper immediately perked up, a happy smile replacing the formerly troubled frown "You're right!" he chirped "I'll go apologize now!"

Zoro gave a sage nod before he was afflicted with a deep yawn "Sounds good, I'll just be here…sleeping…"

Within the space of two breaths the man nodded off, soft purrs reverberating through his chest with every exhale, and his green tail lying placidly across the blankets. Chopper giggled at the sight but then steeled himself for the conversation to come. He would make things right with Sanji, and then everything will be ok!

…

Usopp found Sanji standing behind the galley at the edge of the tangerine grove, his troubled baby blue gaze staring out into the horizon "Hey dude, you ok?"

Sanji exhaled a long stream of smoke, his lips pursing in an unhappy pout "What do you want, long nose?"

Usopp rolled his eyes, stepping up to the railing where the cook stood "Come on, we both know that Chopper was just upset. He doesn't blame you for _everything_ that has happened."

"Yeah? Well, that's what it felt like!" Sanji bit back.

The sniper sighed "Ok, wrong approach," he admitted "but it's still true. He was angry, yes. We've all made stupid mistakes, myself included, because the crew is still trying to process all the craziness that's happened and none of us have the slightest clue on where to start!"

Sanji gave a rueful smile that looked more like a grimace "That's true," he spat.

"But that doesn't mean you have to carry all the problems of the crew on your shoulders," Usopp continued "I mean for heaven's sake, isn't that what we always yell at Zoro for doing?! I'm sure Chopper will come to you in his own time and apologize, but stop beating yourself up, ok?"

"But that's just it," Sanji moaned "Zoro has always been the strength of the crew. He's always taken the hits, been the pillar, and took responsibility for being mature and levelheaded in times of crisis. Now all of a sudden he's weakened, and can't keep up with the rest of us, he's recovering in the infirmary more often than not and he's barely even able to train like he used to! I felt like I needed to take on his role, but no matter how I try I feel like I'm constantly failing at what he could do so effortlessly! So I just…I just…I wanted…I needed a break! I'm not strong enough!"

Sanji didn't know when he had started crying, his fists were clenched on the wooden railing so tightly his knuckles were pearly white, while Usopp hovered nearby his jaw hanging slack as the third member of the monster trio suffered an emotional meltdown. Finally Sanji slowly sunk down to his knees, his shoulders quaking as he fought to stifle his sobs. Usopp darted a look around the area before sitting down next to the cook and awkwardly giving the thin shoulder a consoling pat.

The sniper's heart was breaking, how could he help the man who was considered one of the strongest members of the crew? Sanji was dissolving and Usopp had no way of knowing how to help him.

"I'm just…not…strong enough," Sanji sniffled regaining Usopp's attention as his sobs finally calmed down to shuddering breaths.

The sniper gave a heavy gulp, hesitating for several seconds before awkwardly beginning "That's just it," he said "I think you are."

The blond plopped down on his butt, snorting at what the sniper said as he lit a cigarette "Oh yeah?"

Usopp took a deep breath turning his head to Sanji "You're strong, you've always known how strong you are. You fight toe-to-toe with Zoro on a daily basis and neither one of you are capable of landing a hit on the other. If that isn't strong I don't know what is."

"You don't understand," The cook shook his head despondently "how can I call myself strong when I can't even fill the shoes of my rival?"

Usopp shrugged "I don't know," he replied with earnest eyes "but Zoro can't do his job right now, even though I hate to admit that. Does it suck that we have to step up into a position we've never had to even consider before? Yes. The good news is though, the idiot has a plan to get himself back to normal, and if there's one thing I trust with every fiber of my being, it's that Zoro never breaks a promise. He's weak right now, but he's going to get stronger, and he's going to beat this and come back to us. That's a fact."

"I wish he would just beat it already," Sanji mumbled unhappily.

"Me too, man," Usopp nodded "me too."

"Uh…Sanji?"

The two men looked up to see the figure of their doctor standing near the corner of the building, shuffling his hooves awkwardly "I'm really sorry," the reindeer sniffled as tears streamed down his cheeks "I didn't mean to yell, and you're not an idiot and…and…I'm so sorry!"

A sobbing bundle of brown fur catapulted itself into Sanji's chest, clinging to his shirt making the blond sigh and shake his head with a fond smile "Jerk," he chuckled "how can I stay mad at you when you're crying like this?"

"I'm really hoping you can't," Chopper replied giving a wet swallow.

Usopp and Sanji snorted in unison before both cracking up "Don't worry," Sanji grinned "you're forgiven."

"Good," the reindeer hiccupped.

Usopp groaned, his head falling back to rest against the railing with a dull thump "Man, Zoro needs to get this thing sorted out sooner rather than later, because this crew can't last much longer without his stupid butt returning back to how he used to be."

"No kidding," Sanji smirked "at this rate we all may very well be insane before he gets there."

Usopp merely nodded "…Yep…"

 **I hope this wasn't too OOC, but I thought it was time for some angst from the crew as they struggle to process how much they're changing because Zoro has been so weakened. Please READ and REVIEW!**


	19. Chapter 19

**Thank you for your patience, believe it or not within the past few weeks I have traveled (by car) over 4,000 miles, and obviously unless I have telekinesis (which I don't) It is very hard to write a chapter while driving on the interstate across the country.**

"LAND!"

The crew cheered as the island slowly came into view, and while they could still do nothing more than wait, all were hanging anxiously on the railings. That is all except two people.

Luffy watched Zoro as the man meditated, casually tossing a spherical object between rubbery hands as a gleam of mischief glinted behind his cobalt gaze. The swordsman had finally been released from the galley but under strict instructions not to strain his body. Zoro agreed readily in exchange for the chance to lay out in the sun, and soon contented himself with simply meditating unaware of his audience of one. The raven haired youth was a good twenty feet away from the tiger, however Luffy could see tension making the muscular back ramrod straight and the stern brow wrinkle in heavy concern. Recently, Zoro had confessed to the crew about how Kaze was trying to take over, and the swordsman allowed them to glimpse his true concern and genuine fear about what would happen should she succeed.

The captain let out a rare sorrowful sigh as that conversation flashed before his eyes.

 _Sanji had just been carted away by Chopper, the blond chef muttering incoherent nonsense about Armageddon, when Usopp turned back to Zoro with features sharpened by confusion "So these spirits," he asked "you were able to convince them not to kill you or something? Is that why you survived?"_

 _Zoro hesitated, one hand rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly "I didn't really have much to do with it," he admitted "Tora, the tiger fruit, said that they were both lazy and didn't feel like fighting over their user and that's why I survived the transformation but…"_

 _The crew waited on pins and needles for Zoro to continue as a gloomy tension suddenly filled the galley "that may not be the case anymore."_

" _Why not?" Luffy asked his face suddenly becoming shadowed and serious at this new information._

" _Kaze," Zoro snarled "she wants full control. She's tired of sharing and wants to turn me into her own personal puppet."_

" _But she can't, right?" Nami quavered, turning hopeful brown eyes onto the swordsman._

" _Apparently she can," Zoro sighed "she's trying even as we speak, the main reason I had such a harsh reaction after the storm was because she was trying to force me to give into her control and Tora stopped her just in time. If he hadn't stepped in…it might not have been me who's sitting here right now."_

 _The crew fell into a confused and somewhat scared silence, unsure how to respond however the resident shipwright was the one who broke the tense atmosphere "But Tora stopped her, right bro?"_

" _Yeah," the swordsman nodded "but at a pretty steep cost, last I saw he was bleeding from multiple wounds. He's become my shield but I don't know how long he'll be able to hold out."_

 _The green headed man groaned softly, leaning forward to gently massage his temples between two fingertips "Honestly," he muttered hoarsely "I don't know how long_ _ **I**_ _can hold out."_

Even though it was days later Luffy, much less the crew, still could not process the swordsman feeling vulnerable however they did their best to encourage him. That in itself was surreal, them encouraging Zoro? Weird. However the swordsman perked up after his confession, suddenly looking much lighter and in no time was bickering with Nami while stealing extra Sake from the larder. Luffy had hoped that his swordsman had finally learned how to lean on his crew and not let the stress of the wind spirit get him down, but unfortunately after almost a week of tossing and turning in bed, Zoro was back to brooding in a tense silence. The captain sighed. This wouldn't do, not at all. Thus the object he currently fiddled with whilst pondering his swordsman's current mood.

Giving one final toss, the captain released his signature grin before throwing the object across the lawn to land with a soft bounce, a musical tinkling sound echoing from within, to rest in front of the meditating tiger. Zoro's ear twitched while his tail rose from the ground in seeming interest, however the unscarred eye did not open. Luffy pouted, but merely stretched his arm forth to fetch his current tool for Operation: Cheer Up Zoro. Once again, the young man threw the object watching it roll to a stop in front of the large man, jingling all the way, smiling when both ears fluttered this time, and the tail rose to curl up behind Zoro's back. Retrieving his toy, Luffy reared back for one final push and giggled softly when he finally caused the hybrid to open one eye to peek at whatever was interrupting his meditation.

Zoro felt one eyebrow quirk even as his heart froze. Two fluffy ears immediately perked to attention and his tail swayed back and forth as his feline instincts urged him into full hunter mode. For sitting not even a scant two feet away resting on soft green grass was a blue ball of yarn, and as it rolled with the sway of the ship, Zoro heard a bell tinkle softly within. He knew he shouldn't, and he was fighting every instinct that was currently screaming that he play with it. However that was proving much more difficult than he thought.

" _ **Aw come on, it's just sitting there!"**_

Zoro felt his eyebrow give a violent twitch, his sharp gaze never leaving the yarn ball. Recently he had discovered how to speak with Tora more freely. Resulting in arguments that escalated into screaming fests when he ignored Kaze and spoke only with the tiger side of himself. Tora hated Kaze, but knew the only way to protect his kit (as he had taken to calling Zoro, much to the man's distaste) was to not take her bait by initiating a fight. The swordsman felt a deep empathy for the valiant tiger, who risked so much simply to protect his user. Zoro often argued with the cat, begging Tora to stop getting injured on his behalf but Tora would merely lay down with a purr and tell his kitten to shut up and let him do what was necessary.

That in itself, along with being referred to as a kitten, put the swordsman in a perpetually bad mood _"No,"_ Zoro groused in his mind.

" _ **But…But…"**_ Tora mewed pitifully _**"It's got a bell, it WANTS to be played with!"**_

" _I'm not playing with a ball of yarn-"_

" _ **Don't knock it till you've tried it,"**_

" _on the lawn-"_

"… _ **the lawn is the best place to play with one…"**_

" _and especially not in front of my crew,"_ Zoro continued, pushing past Tora's pleading.

Tora settled down in the back of his mind, a pouty sniffle coming from the big cat _**"I can't even remember the last time I played with one,"**_ he stated with a forlorn sigh _**"it's been so long since I've had a little fun of my own."**_

Zoro groaned internally _"Now that's a low blow,"_

Guilt built up in his heart and the swordsman poked the ball with a cautious finger, vaguely noting Tora lifting his head in interest and the pleased purr rumbling through both of their chests. The yarn ball released a playful jingle, and Zoro felt his tail begin to twitch happily at the sound.

" _ **Give it a roll,"**_ Tora urged, his striped body wiggling ecstatically _**"just a firm but gentle swat with your paw."**_

" _Don't tell me what to do,"_ Zoro pouted but found himself obeying nonetheless.

Clawed fingers swatted the ball and it bounced across the grass, tinkling as it rolled and the swordsman gave a chirrup of delight at the result. Finally he could resist no longer, and he stalked the ball across the lawn on all fours. A content purr echoed from deep within his chest as Zoro crouched down, his shoulders pumping fluidly as he prepared to pounce only to jerk back with a small yip when an outside force stole his toy. Glancing up, a steel grey eye glared at Luffy as the boy grinned down at him from the whitewashed railing up near the galley. With a flick of a rubbery wrist, Luffy cackled with glee as Zoro darted after the thrown ball of yarn. The green haired man rolled on the grass catching the ball between clawed fingers before lying on his back and tossing the object up in the air only to catch it. This continued for some time, Zoro completely at ease and unaware of his surroundings until the highly suspicious sound of a camera shutter caused one ear to twitch.

Rolling his head backwards so to peer at his surroundings, Zoro gaped at Nami holding a camera, her chocolate gaze alight with unrepentant mischief "Give me that camera," the swordsman snarled.

"Hmm," Nami pretended to think over Zoro's demand before sticking her tongue out with a petulant grin "Nah, I think I wanna keep it, unless you have something of equal value to trade for it?"

Zoro's ears flattened with a hiss as his lip curled back to reveal sharp fangs "How about your life?"

Nami just grinned, not taking his threat seriously in the slightest and Zoro was considering showing her just how scary he could be when he was suddenly distracted. The ball still firmly held between two hands quite simply was stolen by a lily white hand growing out of the deck. The tiger hybrid mewed in complaint rolling onto his side, but not before the hand tossed the ball to Robin, who merely smiled mischievously down at Zoro. The navigator grinned in triumph as she took the proffered ball of yarn from the archaeologist before turning back to their resident swordsman.

"Which will it be, the camera or your ball?" Nami snickered "But you can't have both!"

Zoro pouted, on one hand the sea witch had incriminating evidence against him and on the other she had the yarn ball that made Tora so happy. A purely feline indignation rose up within the swordsman and he found a whine building in the back of his throat "I don't wanna choose," he grumbled "I want both!"

Usopp laughed and Robin snickered, even Sanji stood on the side grinning, Nami merely rolled her eyes however with a fond smile "Just like a typical cat," she chuckled.

Zoro was significantly less than amused, and as his one good eye roved the inviting ropes and spars of the ship, he considered a plan of action that would surely have Chopper dragging him back to the infirmary. That is, if the reindeer could catch him. With a mischievous grin, Zoro pounced, rendering Nami speechless except for a startled squawk as he leapt high over her head, grabbing the camera and yarn ball as he flew. Within one fluid bounce the man landed on his toes, and then jumped again only to scramble up the mast and towards the crow's nest. Reaching his destination, the swordsman paused long enough to look down at the crowd gathered below, the ball hanging from his teeth and the camera firmly held in one hand.

"Mine," he grunted with a smug grin before disappearing inside the wooden caravel.

Nami's jaw hung slack in shock before the orange haired woman finally burst in gut busting laughter "YOU JERK!" she cackled breathlessly "G-Give me back…my camera!"

However her efforts were rewarded with silence, and the navigator shook her head with a playful smile "Fine then," she bellowed "keep it, I'll just add the cost of its value onto your existing debt!"

The window opened to reveal a clawed hand holding the camera, and it casually tossed the object down. Nami caught it, her face triumphant before she noticed that the flap where the film was stored hung open, immediately she shrieked "ZORO! You're lucky that was a new roll of film! You could have ruined a lot more than that picture!"

A swaying green tail hung out the window in careless nonchalance and the navigator turned away with a snort "Whatever," however she still couldn't help the amused twinkle in her eyes.

Luffy merely sat on the grass, his face the picture of happy satisfaction "Mission accomplished,"

Up in the crow's nest Zoro tossed the ball around, enjoying the jingling pf the bell and noting the pleased emotions radiating through his mind from Tora "Seriously," the swordsman scoffed "a ball of yarn makes you happy?"

" _ **A ball of yarn with a bell,"**_ Tora corrected _**"besides it's very rare that I find a user who is practically a tiger already and blends so well with the new instincts, plus you can speak to me which is a miracle in itself. I consider this quite the enjoyable arrangement."**_

Zoro chuckled "Fine, I'll let you play with this stupid thing a little while longer."

The afternoon wore on, and it would be several hours before the crew saw their swordsman again as he had fallen asleep in the sunlit space of the crow's nest. Their day was relaxing and the tension seemed to have finally left the ship, for the moment anyway, and the Straw Hat pirates couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. However just before dinner as Sanji was preparing to yell at the green haired man to come eat, the crew heard a plaintive mew from the window as Zoro red faced from embarrassment called;

"Um…Can I have some help? I….I can't get down…."

 **It is scientifically proven that tigers are excellent climbers but have a horrendous habit of getting stuck because they're instinctively scared of climbing down be it backwards or frontwards. So I couldn't help throwing that little tidbit in there.**

 **I hope you enjoyed and please REVIEW!**


	20. Chapter 20

**I feel like I'm always apologizing in these aren't I?**

 **Anywho…I'M SO SORRRYYYY!**

 **We literally are homeless right now due to massive repairs being done on our home, I haven't had internet and we've been moving from place to place just so we have somewhere to sleep, and no the people doing the repairs are NOT helping us with housing expenses whilst we are displaced so we're literal wandering gypsies right now.**

 **I miss my room…**

 **At any rate, I hope you enjoy this chapter as things are going to start picking up a bit.**

"SIR!" a young cadet bellowed giving the obligatory salute to Captain Rosso "We've set the trap, and are awaiting your orders!"

"Very good," the captain purred with a malicious grin "and the Straw Hats? Do they still occupy the harbor?"

"Yes, Sir," the cadet continued "Straw Hat Luffy and his crew maintain their position in the harbor and as of yet are still unaware of our presence."

"Perfect," Rosso nodded turning swiftly so to walk down the gangplank "until our quarry has sprung the trap you must remain at your post unless I give further instruction."

"YES SIR!"

Rosso watched the man leave, but his mind was far from his present location, indeed it soared high over the mountains to the harbor where his precious prize waited for his imminent capture. The captain licked his lips in pleasure at the thought of finally regaining what was rightfully his. "Soon," he murmured softly to himself "soon you will be mine, and I will finally learn what is so different about your physiology that would allow you to survive my experiment!"

….

"Alright!" Nami shouted waving one arm so to garner everyone's attention "it's now time to decide who's going on the island and who's staying behind."

The blond chef raised his hand "I need to go grocery shopping, because somebody," Sanji shot a sharp predatory glare at the captain "ate ALL our provisions…even the backups."

Luffy wilted with a somewhat guilty pout "Sorry, it was the midnight munchies,"

"Whatever," Sanji grumped narrowing his eyes at Luffy before returning to the matter at hand "I can take Usopp with me, he's pretty good at haggling with the vendors."

Nami gave a nod, continuing with the well-known ritual "Anyone else?"

"I need to restock the medicine," Chopper cried hopping up and down and waving a hoof "We're dangerously low on a lot of stuff."

Once again the navigator acknowledged with a nod "You can take Zoro with you then, he's recovered enough to handle carrying groceries and a little exercise will do him good."

"Hey!" Zoro bellowed "Don't you go acting like I'm some helpless invalid that you can boss around!"

"You looked pretty helpless to me when you were stuck up in the crow's nest not even an hour ago," Nami replied drily "Robin had to rescue you like some poor little stuck kitten in a tree."

"I wasn't helpless!" the swordsman spat, his ears going flat against his skull showing indignant affront to her words.

"Oh yeah?" Sanji joined in "Then why couldn't you climb down?"

Zoro gaped like a fish, he couldn't tell them the truth, simply because of how embarrassing it was! However he couldn't really lie and get away with it either. His ears only sunk lower and his tail unconsciously curled between his legs as he scrambled for an explanation that would satiate his crew and still maintain his masculine pride. Thankfully though he didn't have to think of one, as a diminutive reindeer came to his rescue.

"Tigers have terrible hindsight," the doctor chirped innocently "though they're awesome climbers the very instinct to stay alive literally forces them into a frozen standstill when forced to climb down from a high ledge or tree branch. They can't move not from fear, but from instinct, it's beyond their control."

Zoro smirked, crossing his arms in triumph as his tail lashed the air behind him happily "What he said,"

Sanji and Nami, deprived of their fun, merely sulked but were promptly interrupted by the resident shipwright "I need new string for my guitar,"

"So do I!" Brook declared "My instruments are _worn to the bone_ ….SKULL JOKE! YOHOHOHOHO!"

Nami face palmed as her crew mates laughed over the undead musician's stupidity "Fine but we still need someone to watch the ship and I know Luffy can't handle sitting still much less watching the ship by himself."

"I can watch the ship Nami-san," Robin volunteered "I have a particularly captivating book that I'm reading and I wish to get to the end."

The navigator smiled, "Ok, I'll make sure to pick up some presents for you while I'm out."

"Thank you, that is much appreciated,"

"OK!" Nami clapped her hands together with a grin "We all have our designated partners, we'll meet back at the ship by sundown."

"YOSH!"

With that the crew dispersed, Zoro and Chopper leaping down from the deck of the ship to land nimbly on the shore below "So where we going first?" the swordsman asked as Chopper nonchalantly grabbed his hand so to better guide him.

The reindeer tapped his lips with his free hoof before perking up "How about some cotton candy?"

Zoro released a robust laugh, fondness enveloping his gaze as he smiled down at the childish doctor "Sure," he chuckled "you can get some cotton candy before we shop for the medicine."

Chopper cheered, scrambling up so to sit in his designated spot on Zoro's shoulders, his small hooves gently grasping fluffy green ears using them almost like you would use reins on a horse "Go that way," Chopper instructed "that's where I smell all the yummy stuff coming from."

…..

Rosso stood in a darkened corner, watching his men as they fanned all the scents from a veritable feast with giant fig leaves almost the size of them. His strategy was that the last time he had captured Zoro, he had been taking the small reindeer for a sweet treat of some kind. So naturally a creature given to such a sweet tooth could not possibly ignore the delectable aromas of the many assorted treats he had his crew create as the lure for his trap.

"Sir!" one of his men bellowed in a harsh whisper "Our quarry has been spotted, and is heading in our direction."

"Send word throughout our troops," Rosso hissed "ensure that all stations stand ready for the next phase of our plan!"

"Sir, yes, sir!"

…

Zoro strode down the cramped streets of the village, his new feline grace affording him much more mobility as he wove between the writhing masses of people. Chopper was currently enjoying the view that he was so seldom allowed to have these days, breathing in a deep breath of the fresh air the reindeer snuggled the swordsman a happy sigh of contentment slipping from furry lips.

"I'm glad you're getting better," Chopper murmured absently.

Zoro smirked, one large hand reaching up to gently ruffle the reindeer's ear "Me too,"

The small physician released a giggle "You sure were funny though, when you were stuck up in the crow's nest."

"Hey," Zoro squawked halfheartedly giving a playful glare up at the animal "that's not fair, first you stick up for me all so you can tease me yourself?"

Chopper laughed "No, but you have to admit it _was_ pretty funny!"

"I don't have to admit anything!" The swordsman pouted albeit with the hint of a grin "you think I enjoyed being rescued by Robin?"

" _ **Yes, like the loud female said,"**_ Tora murmured with an amused chuff _**"you very much resembled a lost kitten being retrieved by its mother."**_

Zoro immediately wilted into a sulk "Oh great now I'm getting it from both sides,"

The reindeer cocked his head "Tora say something?"

"Only just that he agrees that I looked ridiculous,"

"You didn't look ridiculous," Chopper consoled with only the barest of giggles.

"Tell that to the crew, they were laughing their heads off,"

"Well you should be used to it by now," Chopper sniffed "I mean with how often you get lost…"

"I don't get lost!"

"Right…"

" _ **Right…"**_

The synchronized response from both Chopper and Tora set Zoro off into an unhappy pout "You guys are just rude, you know that?"

"Maybe," the doctor shrugged "but you love us anyway."

Zoro snorted but couldn't help the smile of agreement, Chopper however was caught in deep thought "Hey Zoro?"

"Yeah?"

"Even though I don't like that you're in pain, and have seizures and had to almost give up your dream…I'm glad that this happened." Chopper paused his little hooves wrapped around Zoro's neck tightly before continuing his confession in halting tones "It's nice not to be alone anymore, to have someone who understands being part animal and part human. It's like I have a brother."

Zoro reached up so to slide Chopper down from his shoulders and rest on his hip, a steel grey eye met deep brown and Zoro gave a rare hug to the animal "We were always brothers, this just helped us become closer."

Chopper felt tears well up in his eyes and he returned the hug enthusiastically while Tora purred happily _**"He would make a good cub,"**_ the tiger stated with a faint flick of his tail _**"between the two of you I don't know how I will abandon my kittens when the time comes to leave. It will be very difficult I think."**_

Zoro felt moisture build in his own eye at the thought of losing the tiger, a sudden realization at how reassuring the feline's strong presence was and how he felt like it would be like losing his father all over again sudden striking him. Tora, leave? That's right, he was planning on expelling the spirits out of his physical body, reversing the idea of entering their world by forcing them into his. After much discussion with Tora, neither knew what to expect after this was done, but Zoro had been warned by the large cat that death was possible…for him at least, Zoro should survive. It had all been agreed on and strove for, however now the idea that he may lose Tora forever made Zoro unexplainably upset.

However the man shook away the threatening tears and merely grinned down at the physician sobbing quietly in his arms, choosing rather to think about such morbid thoughts on another day instead of right now.

"Alright, enough mushy stuff, let's go find you some cotton candy and get to work shopping. I want to get back to the ship in time for a nice afternoon nap."

Chopper nodded, swiping the tears away before scrambling back to his post and turning Zoro's head the right direction "Just follow your nose!" he cried "whatever is down there is bound to be yummy!"

Sure enough, Zoro took a tentative sniff and found his mouth suddenly flooded as it salivated from the scent sneaking their way down the alley "Doesn't look too crowded, maybe it's a restaurant or something?"

"I don't know," Chopper shrugged "let's go check it out."

The duo strolled up the alley, following their noses as they sought out the source of the delicious smell.

…..

Rosso watched his prey wander aimlessly into his carefully laid trap. Every person in this alley was a Marine in disguise as one of the locals, in truth he had cleared out almost half of the village, taking up the side that wasn't too close to the market. He didn't want one of the other Straw Hats coming to their rescue after all. As Zoro ducked under a low hanging laundry line and stepped into the sunlight, Rosso felt his breath catch in his throat and his heart freeze as awe stole over his features.

There in the flesh was the hybrid, the very first survivor of eating two devil fruit and he was wonderful to behold. The feline features were a stunning accent to the already masculine frame, and Rosso could not help but a respectful nod at how perfect the two seemed for each other, though try as he might the Marine Captain could not find any evidence of the other fruit. Rosso merely shrugged however, he would have plenty of time to see what the man was capable of. So with a grin full of deranged malice, Rosso leaned down to his second in command and whispered the fateful order.

"It's time."

 **BTW I'm also writing while on cold medicine as I am sick as a dog. So I'm homeless and suffering from a cold…not fun.**

 **I will endeavor to be more mindful of updating more swiftly, as I adore each and every one of my readers, please don't think that I've abandoned you as I assuredly have not!**


	21. Chapter 21

**Hello everyone!**

 **Ok, I'm back, and we finally were able to get our house back. It was under crazy repairs that left us homeless for over a month, but now we were given the go ahead to move back now that it is no longer dangerous to live here.**

 **To the guest reviewer who called me a liar about my housing situation, it's called a laptop and McDonald's wifi genius. You can still have a computer and not have a home. Next time try using your brain before posting a comment, deal?**

 **ON WITH THE SHOW!**

Zoro ducked under a line of low hanging laundry, Chopper giggling as it swept over his face "Hey!"

"What?" the swordsman replied innocently "Would you prefer I not ducked at all and the line catch you in the throat?"

Chopper shook his head, a fond gleam in his eyes as he merely stuck his tongue out at the man "Fine, I accept your logic but I still got hit in the face with underwear!"

"You know some people on our crew would consider that an honor," Zoro replied drily.

"Why?" the reindeer looked genuinely confused.

"Was it men's or women's underwear?"

"I think it was a woman's," Chopper shrugged.

"Then I rest my case," Zoro chuckled.

The small physician's face blanked as he went into deep thought trying to understand Zoro's statement before he suddenly gave a violent shake of his head "I don't get it, you're not making any sense!"

The swordsman threw back his head with a rare laugh full of merriment "Trust me squirt, I don't understand it either, but for some reason they get a kick out of it."

Chopper sighed, flopping over mossy green hair "I still don't understand what you're talking about."

Zoro reached up and ruffled velvety soft ears "And I hope you never will,"

"You're weird Zoro,"

"I know,"

…

Rosso watched as his men scurried into position, each one holding a custom made weapon designed specifically for use against Devil Fruit users. This battle would be short and hopefully his specimen would make it out relatively unharmed, Rosso couldn't bear the thought of his precious experiment being damaged, that could possibly change the outcome of his results and that was not to be born. He wanted each result as pure and true as possible without any outside hindrances.

Bringing the com link sewn into his collar close to his lips, Rosso whispered "Begin phase one of our plan,"

…

"LOOK!" Chopper squealed in delight at the veritable array of sweets lain out on picnic tables "There are so many yummy things to eat!"'

Zoro's stomach growled, reminding him that he was nearing his scheduled third meal of the day, but the tiger hybrid merely shook it off. Something wasn't right, his keen sense of smell alerted him to strange scents that sent alarm bells ringing through his brain "Chopper, I don't think this is a good idea,"

"Why not?" two gleaming eyes begged the swordsman to stay "Look at all this food, and no one is eating it!"

"Exactly," Zoro growled fighting back a nervous hiss as his ears flattened and the hair rose on the back of his neck "no one is eating it, nor is anyone else in this alley."

Chopper took a good look around, noticing for the first time just how isolated they were and noting the fact that he couldn't even hear the sounds from the market "Uh…suddenly I don't feel so good,"

Zoro took a slow step backwards, every sense on high alert as he watched for enemies "No matter what happens," he hissed "don't let go of me,"

"I can fight too," Chopper whined ducking his head low as survival instincts took over.

"I know you can," the man growled his tail twitching as he continued his cautious exit "but I am going to try and make sure you don't have to. Escape first and fight later if we absolutely must."

Chopper nodded "Right,"

"Good,"

With that Zoro turned, gripping the ground with the toes of his boots as he prepared to make a high speed getaway, unfortunately that was not to be.

Just as he had whirled around for his escape, a large metal net dropped sealing off their exit, Zoro didn't even have to touch it to know it was sea stone, he could already feel its effects from only five feet away. Zoro's hands instinctively went to his hip, but growled when he remembered that he had given Sanji his blades to safeguard until he felt worthy to pick them up. The man cursed himself for his weakness that now cost them a valuable asset to aid in their escape. So with an angry hiss the man faced another alley hoping for another route, but was forced to face the same obstacle. Soon every mode of escape was cut off, and the two crewmates were trapped within a circle of sea stone. Ladders were thrown down from countless rooftops, Marines sliding down with ease only to face the Straw Hats bearing strange looking guns with glowing bullet chambers.

Chopper whimpered, hugging Zoro's head "I'm scared,"

 _Me too,_ the swordsman thought but he wouldn't dare voice it, Chopper needed him to be strong, so that was what Zoro was going to do "Don't worry, we'll get out of this."

"How?" Chopper pleaded "You don't have your swords, and I stopped making rumble balls because I needed the ingredients for…"

The reindeer came to an abrupt halt, the sentence unfinished simply because he didn't want to make Zoro feel any guiltier, however the swordsman understood exactly what the miniature doctor was about to say "For me," Zoro finished "you needed the ingredients you usually use for your rumble balls to keep me alive."

Chopper nodded miserably, and once again the swordsman felt a pang in his heart. How many times must he face this unbearable weakness? How many times must he put his crew in danger simply because he wasn't strong enough? Zoro let out a silent growl, he was so sick and tired of failing at the one mission he had chosen, his duty he had accepted long ago as a privilege and an honor, the job of protecting his crew at any cost. The moss headed man clenched a fist till crimson flowed between his fingers and dripped to the ground. Wave upon wave of Marine soldiers surrounded them, encasing them in a circle of metal and bodies, determination painted on the faces adorned with the white and blue hats signifying their trade. Their very presence only made Zoro's frustration grow.

"I'm done," he snarled.

Chopper cocked his head, even his advanced hearing barely catching the quiet statement "What?"

"I said," Zoro repeated his steel eye going feral as a feline slit sliced through it and fur sprouting across his shoulders and down his arms "I'M DONE BEING WEAK!"

Chopper gasped as the swordsman began to grow in size and his features grew more animalistic "No! Zoro, what are you doing?!"

"My job!" the swordsman bit back baring his bigger, sharper fangs.

" _ **Stop Young One!"**_ Tora bellowed _**"You are not ready for a transformation of this magnitude, you'll die!"**_

"Maybe," Zoro nodded rolling his shoulders as his muscles grew larger and his legs bent backwards to a more feline curve "maybe I might die, but I've been faced with that same decision hundreds of times before and I've never backed down once from protecting my family, and I refuse to let today be the first time I do. We're getting out of here, regardless of the consequences, so I suggest you stop yapping and help me take these punks down!"

Tora paused before an approving grin crossed his muzzle _**"Right,"**_ he rumbled, pumping his shoulders in preparation to pounce _**"Then you'll need these,"**_

Three razor sharp claws burst from between Zoro's knuckles on both hands, splitting the skin but the man didn't feel the pain, he may not have his swords, but these would work just as well "Thanks Tora," Zoro smirked "now let's take out the trash!"

Opening his mouth to give a bellowing roar, Zoro leapt at his opponents, tearing into them allowing his catlike reflexes to dodge the sea stone infused bullets. Chopper was still hanging from between Zoro's shoulders, but let go as he wanted to be of use in this battle too. Switching to kung-fu point, the reindeer clobbered his own pile of Marines, satisfaction burning in his heart that he was not being a burden to his dear friend and adopted older brother.

Zoro ducked dodged and weaved, leaving a trail of blood spray in his wake. A maniacal grin adorned his normally stoic features as he felt the pleasurable pull of his muscles long weakened from disuse stretch and loosen with the heat of battle. He hadn't fought in so long, he had missed this, the up close and personal battle style that he preferred. The screams of agony followed by the tugging of torn flesh under his blades (now claws) was veritable music to his ears, a laugh bubbled up in his throat as indescribable euphoria took over. He had forgotten how fun it was to do battle and come out the strongest, so encased was he in his own personal pity party that he had almost discarded the very thing that had proven to be his greatest asset as a swordsman. The joy found in a good fight.

Soon the duo found they had defeated most of their opponents, leaving only a dozen or so trembling remnants gripping their guns in terror at the brutal efficiency with which their comrades had been taken out. Zoro straightened up, his back popping as his spine realigned itself, and casually cracked his neck.

"So," he growled in a rumbling baritone riding on a sinister hiss "who's next?"

" _ **Kitten, we may have a problem."**_

"Not now Tora," Zoro snarled quietly "I'm trying to fight here,"

" _ **I'm aware of that, but it really is urgent,"**_

"Trust me, it can wait,"

" _ **No it really can't, or should I say, won't,"**_

"Wait, what?"

No sooner had Zoro posed his query when suddenly his body was engulfed in smoke and the man found himself shrinking at an astonishing rate. Within the space of a second, the formerly towering monster was reduced to a green tiger cub even smaller than Chopper. Zoro squeaked, which came out as a plaintive mew, his steel grey eye assessing the now glaring size difference between him and his foes.

"Aw, crap."

" _ **I told you,"**_

….

Sanji strolled through the market, Usopp by his side as they lugged yet another pile of groceries back to the ship before returning so to buy the last of their goods needed for the pantry. The blond was well aware of Usopp staring at him, or his back to be more precise, but had chosen not to acknowledge it, at least not until Usopp brought it up himself.

"I've been meaning to ask," the raven haired man began "why do you carry Zoro's swords around all the time? I mean, I know it's between you and him, but you started carrying them around out of nowhere and now I rarely see you without them, even when you're cooking."

Sanji merely shrugged. He didn't really want to tell Usopp that Zoro had entrusted his dream to him, and that he was guarding the blades until said moss head felt worthy enough to wield them again. Granted it had felt manly and heroic at the time when the cook had accepted the request, much like a knight carrying a burden for some form of greater good. However saying it out loud made the whole agreement feel mushy and sappy, two words which should never apply to his and the moss head's relationship. He still felt like it was an honor, and carrying the stupid things had done wonders for his upper and lower body strength, who knew that carrying around three incredibly heavy katana could tone your thighs and shoulders? Sanji took the request seriously, and would allow no harm to befall the physical representation of his brother's dream, however that was not something he would ever, EVER admit out loud.

"Call it," Sanji drawled taking a deep draw of his cigarette before blowing a stream of smoke into the air "a promise between men, and leave it at that."

Usopp gazed in awe at the blond before shaking his head and giving a fond chuckle "You two sure are amazing,"

The chef raised an eyebrow "What makes you say that?"

"Out of everyone in our crew, you and Zoro are the two I admire most," Usopp replied honestly "you don't have any devil fruit, or at least Zoro didn't before he was forced to eat them, but you still were the strongest out of all of us besides Luffy. Even now with Zoro as a Devil Fruit user, he's trying to find a way to get rid of his powers so he can pick up his dream again, and you're standing in his place as protector of the crew until he can do that. You're so cool and masculine, I can't help but respect you guys."

Sanji was speechless at Usopp's speech, gratitude and love for his crew members swelling in his heart before the blond shook his head of any moisture creeping up in his eyes and laughed "I don't have an answer for that, but…thanks."

Usopp smiled, content to leave it and switched the topic to something else "So where do you think Luffy took off to?"

"Who knows," Sanji groaned "that guy gets in trouble quicker than the moss head-"

Suddenly the chef stopped as a strange sensation halted him in his tracks. The three blades resting across his back were vibrating in their harness, each one pulling and tugging at their restraints as of being called by their master. Sanji furrowed his brows, reaching behind him to lay a hand on the nearest blade, which happened to be the white one, when an overwhelming presence invaded his mind as a feminine voice bellowed;

" _ZORO'S IN DANGER!"_

Sanji reeled from the force of the emotion being put out by the blade, jerking back as if slapped, and Usopp barely had enough time to catch the man by the arm "What's wrong, are you ok?"

The blond chef panted as indescribable dread filled his stomach making his insides curl "Yeah, I'm fine, but I don't think Zoro is."

Usopp's keen gaze roved over the suddenly pale features of their cook before giving a firm nod "Let's go,"

As one the duo dropped their grocery bags and took off towards where they had seen their swordsman last, and as Sanji sprinted down the crowded streets the blades thrumming louder and louder with every step, he found himself saying a soft prayer under his breath for the safety of his crewmate and the assurance that they would get there in time.

 **FIRST OF ALL…yes, I totally copied off Wolverine, but don't you think he'd really rock those things? I mean, come on?!**

 **At any rate, please REVIEW! I love hearing your opinions and ideas!**


	22. Chapter 22

**I'm psyched that everyone enjoyed the tiger transformation, yes he did shrink down so things just got a little hairy for our favorite swordsman.**

The marines left standing inside the circular net enclosure gaped at Zoro's newest…problem. Chopper halted midstride, confusion etched across his muzzle at the sudden quiet falling on their opponents before turning around to face Zoro only to give a squeak of surprise. "Zoro…?"

"Chopper," the swordsman mewed scrambling over on four paws "we may have a problem."

"A PROBLEM?!" Chopper shrieked "THIS IS MORE THAN A PROBLEM!"

"I'm sure it will wear off," Zoro shrugged "our main issue is getting away,"

"A problem that is no longer your concern, as I have taken it away from you."

Chopper and Zoro turned towards the voice only for both to release an animalistic growl as they saw the face of the man who force fed Zoro the Devil fruit "Rosso,"

"Hello Roronoa Zoro," the man sneered "it is so good to see you so…alive, and thriving. It is quite surprising, I'm extremely interested in learning just why you're the one to survive while so many others didn't."

"I survived because I had a good doctor," Zoro hissed batting his claws at his captor "that's the only thing you'll find."

Rosso chuckled before reaching down to grab the tiger cub by the back of the neck making Zoro yowl and spit as he was raised to eye level with the deranged scientist "Poor little kitten, I'm certain that is not why you survived, though that was a valiant effort at modesty."

"I'm not being modest, moron," Zoro snarled in a high pitched meow "you don't underst-!"

Rosso plopped the cub into a bag with Seastone infused fibers noting how the swordsman turned kitten immediately became lax "ZORO!" Chopper screamed before a Marine covered him with a sea stone net.

"Don't fret little raccoon," Rosso smirked "I anticipated that my precious subject will have particular sensitivity to sea stone, the bag is woven with only the barest threads of the material resulting in him experiencing what would be considered the normal reaction to the sea."

Chopper struggled beneath the net, even as he felt his strength slip away like sand in a sieve "You-You can't….have him! Not…again!"

"Too bad," the captain smiled maliciously "it was his destiny to rejoin me in my quest for knowledge, from the moment he agreed to take part in my experiment his soul belonged to me and I intend to keep it that way."

The reindeer squirmed desperate to rescue his friend and brother, but to no avail, with tearful eyes the doctor watched as Rosso sent one last scoff at the fallen pirate before slowly turning around and walking away. The large nets were dismantled, countless Marines rushed back to the ship, many bearing their fallen comrades, but all did not spare even the smallest glance at Chopper. All too soon the miniature physician was forced to lie all alone in the abandoned alleyway, with no evidence to show for what had occurred. The blue nose sniffled, large tears burned down soft brown fur staining the ground beneath his head. Hopelessness settled into the now sobbing frame, and Chopper could only wonder how this could have happened again. The gap between them and Zoro was growing with every passing second and Chopper couldn't even summon the strength needed to rescue him.

"No," the reindeer hiccupped "not again, please. Somebody…help…"

"CHOPPER!"

The doctor labored to raise his head, his gaze struggling to focus until finally it sharpened enough to register the people running towards him. Fresh tears overflowed onto his cheeks and Chopper could only answer "SANJI!"

Usopp dove to his knees, pulling the metallic net off their nakama "You ok?!"

"No," Chopper cried as the duo checked him for injuries "stop! Don't worry about me, they took him!"

"Took who? Zoro?!" Sanji asked, his baby blues wide with fear.

"Yes!" Chopper exclaimed "We need to go after them now, it's the same Marine Captain who hurt him before!"

Usopp drew back with a gasp and Sanji felt his heart freeze over at the news "That guy," the sniper murmured his hands trembling in horror "that same guy…took Zoro? Again?"

Chopper gnashed his teeth before grabbing the front of Usopp's shirt "YES!" he bellowed "Now unless you want to lose any chance of finding and rescuing him, I suggest you get off your butt and RUN!"

Usopp and Sanji turned to each other with shock before giving a determined nod "RIGHT!"

…

Zoro thrashed inside the bag, well, thrashed may be too strong a word. He wiggled, squirmed? The swordsman sought out a word that accurately described his current position without sacrificing his dignity. Unfortunately that lasted about a minute before the exhausted hybrid curled into a miserable ball within his potato sack prison. "This sucks," he mewed.

" _ **Kitten?"**_ Tora rumbled, concern laced within his growl.

"Don't call me kitten," Zoro hissed miserably "I have enough problems, the last thing I want to think about is the fact that I'm a…a…ugh,"

Tora chuckled at the overwhelming embarrassment that was oozing from Zoro _**"Why deny what you are?"**_

"I'm not a kitten!" Zoro snarled "I'm a full grown man, and have endured more and seen greater trials than most men twice my age!"

" _ **And I have been around for thousands of years, from the very foundation of time I sailed seas,"**_ Tora returned giving a languid lick to his jowls before moving on to grooming his paw _**"so compared to me whose lifespan dwarfs anything your brain could possibly comprehend your pitiful twenty-one years are infantile. So settle down and stop making a fuss kitten, before you give us both a headache."**_

Zoro gave a savage groan of frustration "Stop making a fuss?! Marvelous, just brilliant," the swordsman spat "so I'm stuck in a sea stone bag, shrunk down into-into, you know exactly what, being carted away to God knows where by a madman who is the very person who wants to use me for experimentation and you're…grooming yourself?! Is this really the time?!"

" _ **It's never a bad time to groom oneself,"**_ Tora sniffed haughtily _**"honestly, who in their right mind would want to face what may be their most dire hour of need unwashed and fur in disarray? Not me."**_

"Ugh," the moss colored kitten gagged "I have a preppy house cat in my head, could things get any worse?"

" _ **You tell me, I mean you**_ **are** _ **the one trapped in a sea stone bag, shrunk down to the size of a KITTEN being carried off to God knows where by a madman who wants to use you for experimentation."**_ The tiger snickered _**"Did I at least get all the facts right?"**_

Zoro snorted "Yes, good job, I'm so proud of you." Silence reigned as the swordsman curled tighter into himself groaning as a harsh pain rocked through his stomach making anxiety flutter in his chest as he began to wonder about something in particular "what do you think he'll do?"

Tora grew serious, setting his paw down as he released a rumbling purr in effort to soothe his cub _**"To be honest, I'm unsure. This Rosso, based on your memories of him, seems to be a very dangerous man. I would be lying if I were to dare say that I was not concerned for your well-being."**_

A small green striped tail drifted up around Zoro's body, offering comfort and warmth "I am also concerned, I think I'm almost…scared."

" _ **It would be unwise not to feel a measure of fear,"**_ Tora replied gently _**"I would think less of you if you didn't. True bravery is acknowledging your fear and still defying it in spite of the terror that grips your heart."**_

"Some would argue that as sheer stupidity," Zoro smirked weakly the effects of the sea stone fibers wearing on him.

" _ **True,"**_ The tiger murmured thoughtfully _**"true, it could be qualified as stupidity. However if bravery is stupidity then public servants who put their lives on the line for others are fools, honor is a farce, and soldiers who fight to protect their loved ones merely the village idiot. Thus the world is saved every day by sheer stupidity.**_

" _ **In my opinion, the truly stupid are those who despise those brave souls and dishonor their sacrifices with acts of ignorance and immaturity, looting and burning down cities for the sake of petty and altogether childish reasons, disgraceful brats causing pain to innocents all due to their entitled mentality, those my boy are the true idiots of this world."**_

The swordsman gave a low chuckle "Sounds like you've lived through some stuff,"

" _ **More than you will ever know, kitten, more than you**_ **could** _ **ever know."**_

"I'm tired,"

" _ **Then sleep,"**_

"But what if…?"

" _ **I will protect you, rest,"**_

…

"Zoro's been what?!"

Usopp and Sanji winced at Nami's shriek "I'm so sorry Nami-swan," the cook sighed according to Chopper they were ambushed and had no way of escape."

"Which then led to them attempting to fight their way out, and they almost won, but apparently Zoro used some next level form that made him shrink into a tiger cub," Usopp continued "then they put Zoro into a sea stone bag, and left Chopper in the street wrapped in a net made of the same thing. We got there too late to help."

"Do we know who took him?"

The two men turned to where Luffy stood leaning against the wall and both gulped in discomfort, however it was their resident doctor who answered for them "It was the same guy who kidnapped us before and almost killed Zoro, Captain Rosso, he was the one who took him."

Luffy bared angry teeth, his cobalt gaze turning murderous "Fine," the boy rasped in an uncharacteristically dark "then we'll just kill two birds with one stone. We'll rescue Zoro and then we'll beat this Rosso into a pulp. He'll learn to never touch a member of my crew, much less twice."

The group turned to each other, all giving a resolute nod "Yes, Captain!"

"First we need to catch up to them,"

Nami smiled as the seemingly immature boy once again proved his mettle as captain "We can bet that even if they restocked here, they'll have to stop at the next island. They're on a huge battle galleon, with thousands of sailors onboard. That many mouths to feed guarantees that they will be forced to restock within the next two islands, our safest bet would be at a nearby Marine base."

Usopp suddenly perked up "What if we found a Marine base and took over? Sent out a distress call, lure them in, and then destroy their ship as soon as they dock!"

The room froze, and Franky couldn't help but chuckle "Wow, bro, I think that's the craziest thing you've ever said."

"Yeah, are you feeling alright?" Nami smiled gently "I mean normally you would scream if we even mentioned taking on a Marine base."

The sniper rubbed the back of his neck nervously before heaving a sigh and then pinning his crew with determined eyes "You're right, every instinct in me is shrieking to be a coward," he stated "but this is Zoro and he needs us right now. If saving him faster means we take over a marine base then so be it, I'll swallow my fear for Zoro's sake."

Their captain sent a smile in his friend's direction giving the man an enthusiastic thumb's up "Good, then we go with that plan, Robin," Luffy continued turning his fiery gaze onto their archaeologist and general informant "do you know where the nearest Marine base is?"

Robin pursed her lips thoughtfully "We are quite fortunate, there is a base not too far from here and a relatively small one at that. If we leave now with that island as our top priority, then we would arrive at least a day ahead of Zoro's captors."

"Nami, how long would it take to get there?"

The ginger headed woman did a quick calculation before blurting "Two days, tops."

Luffy nodded looking down at the floor guilt writhing in his stomach "As much as I hate to leave Zoro in that jerk's hands for two days it's our best chance of rescuing him with minimum damage to us and our ship."

Suddenly the boy captain's brow furrowed even as his jaw set in a determined snarl "Let's do this!"

"YOSH!"

 **Wow….who knew I could write that and finish it today…**

 **I hope you enjoyed! REVIEW!**


	23. Chapter 23

Rosso entered his lab, face gleaming with pride as he set his bundle down on one of his many examination tables. To be perfectly honest he wasn't expecting the subject to turn into such a fierce creature, his plan was very nearly a failure, but it appears that this transformation has a time limit. The scientist released a dark chuckle, how very interesting, he wanted to test this transformation and see if there are any others that he may be able to exploit. Speaking of which, why not begin testing now?

Opening the sea stone infused bag, Rosso couldn't help but smirk at the adorable picture his specimen made. A tiny tiger cub lay sleeping off the exhaustion of battle within the folds of the coarse fabric. With gentle hands, the captain lifted Zoro out of his prison, examining his furry form. In almost every respect he resembled an actual tiger cub barely beyond the cusp of infancy. Little pink paws with retractable baby claws, itty bitty teeth that would prove to be a very small threat and the rumbling purr as it tried to soothe itself or repair internal damage from the fight.

Rosso ran gloved hands across the cub's head, scratching behind its ears before suddenly grabbing it roughly by the nape of its neck. Zoro awoke with a yowl and one frightened silver eye took in his surroundings and the fact that he was still very much shrunk. Desperate claws swiped and clung to the woolen material that encased Rosso's hands even as his back legs kicked. The miniature swordsman was carried to an odd looking chamber, a large tube made of glass that could easily accommodate his human and battle form. Zoro stopped struggling, a plan forming in his mind as he considered how easy it would be to break said glass. Unfortunately his captor seemed to be one step ahead.

"Don't think that escape with be so easy little kitten," the captain spoke making Zoro's ears flatten unhappily at the use of a nickname only Tora was allowed to the privilege to use "that glass is not only bullet proof, but it was created with grains of sand ground from purified sea stone. Every piece of this lab, be it metal, plastic or any other material has been designed and custom made specifically to hold your kind. That chamber will hold you, no matter which form you use."

Climbing a ladder while still carrying Zoro, the Marine opened a steel hatch at the top of the tube and then unceremoniously dropped his captive into his new cell. Zoro felt his heart stop as four paws straightened out by instinct and hit the steel plating at the bottom. An audible crack snapped within his right foreleg and the cub whimpered his tail drawing close to him as instinct took over. An odd squeaking cry burst from his mouth, startling the man turned cat. Zoro shut his mouth, refusing anymore outbursts but it seemed that instinct was stronger as more squeaking cries ripped themselves from his throat denying any attempt to silence them. Rosso watched with curious eyes as he descended from the ladder only to kneel in front of the cub.

"Fascinating," he murmured "so it would seem that the instincts of a tiger heavily influence your behavior. Very interesting indeed."

"Uh, what is it doing, S-Sir?" a previously unnoticed cadet quavered, his courage to address the captain garnered only because said man had a new toy to occupy himself with.

"That, my young cadet," Rosso answered, his ruthless gaze never leaving the disconsolate cub "is an instinctive cry a tiger cub gives to call for its mother, and as Roronoa Zoro's file clearly states that he is in fact an orphan, the impulse to do so must be beyond his control. It is purely driven by the tiger within him to call for help when in distress."

' _Is that true?'_ Zoro asked Tora using his thoughts even as his mouth released another pitiful mewl _'isn't there some way you can make it stop?!'_

" _ **I'm sorry kitten,"**_ Tora sighed unhappily _**"If I were there I would seek to give you the comfort that a tiger cub requires, unfortunately I am not. As uncomfortable and I'm sure embarrassing as it is for you, you will just have to wait until you return to your former size."**_

Zoro released a tiny growl, making the cadet snicker at how cute it unintentionally was "It's hard to believe that the scary swordsman we were all afraid of is stuck as this kitten." The cadet ventured, no doubt feeling a tad bolder.

"Indeed," Rosso agreed cocking his head as the cub attempted walking across the floor of its prison only to stumble of its broken foreleg and immediately release another pained mew "How strange, but also quite fascinating. Devil Fruit users have been viewed as magical beings incapable of being defeated by mere mortal man, but I'm going to prove differently, I'm going to study and document the real science behind these monsters. The very fact that Roronoa Zoro is reduced to a cub capable of only basic instinct only helps validate my theory that the very law of Devil Fruit lies within mixing the DNA with other creatures or materials ultimately creating super soldiers. Perhaps I'll even unlock the true purpose behind their aversion to seawater."

The cadet found a sadistic smile slowly spreading across his face "Awesome," he breathed garnering Rosso's attention for the first time since they entered.

"Interesting," the man smiled "it seems that not all of my crew are good for nothing dunder-heads. You may assist me in the testing if you wish Cadet-?"

"Biggles, Sir," the man supplied giving a sharp salute.

"Cadet Biggles," Rosso nodded, "fine then, meet me back at my lab by 0600 hours tomorrow morning. Then we will begin."

The younger man nodded, saluting once again before taking his leave, Rosso also prepared to make his exit but not before giving one more leering grin at his prize "Sleep well, my pet," he crooned before giving a deranged chuckle "tomorrow is going to be a big day for you and me as well."

With that the captain left, flicking the switches on the wall plunging Zoro's world into darkness. The kitten shuffled around his enclosure, struggling to find a comfortable place to sleep before giving up entirely and curling into miserable ball in the center of the cage "Tora," the man finally whispered after a few moments had passed "are you still there?"

" _ **I am kitten,"**_

"How long does this normally last?"

" _ **You'll be back to your old self by morning, though I fear your right arm will still be broken."**_

Zoro sighed, his muzzle an angry pout when it came out as another quavering cry "This is so dumb, and the broken arm isn't going to help me escape any easier."

" _ **You should have used my power,"**_

Zoro startled at Kaze's bitter spit, he hadn't heard from her in so long he thought she had given up and just disappeared "I know better than to use your powers Kaze" Zoro hissed in return.

Kaze merely scoffed, venom practically dripping from every syllable _**"Imbecile, if you had used my battle form than you and that pathetic little raccoon would have escaped and you wouldn't have ended up here!"**_

"He's a reindeer, witch!" Zoro spat "and if I had you would have tried to take over my body again, you certainly aren't shy about that, you're just as bad as Rosso!"

" _ **Ha!"**_ the wind woman cackled _**"You're right about that at least, I can't help but admire his determination to get what he wants. A man of ambition like that I could certainly use."**_

That's when an idea hit Zoro like lightening, something that could help him get rid of Kaze and maybe create the opening he needed to escape. However he didn't dare tell Tora for fear that Kaze would overhear, for now he needed to lay low and work on ensuring his plan's success. "Tora," Zoro spoke casually "would you like to practice projecting you into the real world?"

He felt Tora's head perk up _**"Practice projecting?"**_

Zoro nodded "Not a full projection, just in case of, you know, in case it turns out fatal. However if I can project the two of you out of my body for a long enough period of time that wouldn't hurt you but allow me my full strength as a regular human, I could easily shatter this glass and then get out of here."

The tiger nodded, sensing the subtle vibrations that he had become attuned to due to prolonged exposure to conversation with his user that told him Zoro had a plan of sorts. What it was Tora had no idea, but he was willing to take a leap of faith. _**"That sounds most agreeable,"**_ Tora purred _**"let's try it!"**_

" _ **Wait!"**_ Kaze screeched _**"Why do you always turn to him?! Practice with me! I'm tired of being ignored!"**_

Zoro released a pleased purr, checkmate "I don't know," he drawled seemingly carelessly "I don't know if I can trust you."

" _ **You can!"**_

"Fine then," Zoro shrugged "but Tora needs to be first so I can get back to my original size,"

Kaze pouted for half a second before sighing in resignation _**"Fine!"**_

The miniature gave a toothy grin that glinted in the dim lighting of the lab "Ok Tora, let's try this."

The cub closed his eyes, clamping his mouth shut from any more cries that may try to sneak past his now fuzzy lips. Focusing inward, Zoro sought out the inner space where his spirits resided and then pinned all his attention on Tora, reaching to the feline as an invitation to join him on the outside. The tiger was more than acquiescent, leaping forward with a happy roar towards Zoro's outstretched hand. Paw met human flesh and with a flesh Zoro's eye snapped open and the warm sensation of a rough tongue licking his hair and ear helped him regain clarity to the world around him.

"I-It worked?!" Zoro gasped, muscular hands feeling his body ensuring all was where it should be before grimacing at his broken right arm.

"Indeed," Tora purred butting his head into Zoro's and scrubbing his scent all over his cub "the solid ground beneath my feet feels most strange but…wonderful!"

Zoro smirked as Tora switched back to grooming him, giving a tolerant sigh as the tiger sat down for what he assumed would be an extended bath "Tora," Zoro growled.

The tiger ignored him, so intent on comforting and grooming his cub that he merely continued in his licking. Zoro, though flattered and not finding the attentions altogether unpleasant still understood more important things were needed to be considered "Tora," he ventured again.

Still no answer and Zoro sighed "TORA!"

The feline stopped mid-lick and ducked his head sheepishly "Sorry, kitten, my own instincts seemed to take over for a moment."

The swordsman chuckled, even as the movement jostled his injured arm "It's fine, but I need you to tell me how you feel?"

The tiger settled back on his haunches, his regal face lifted towards the ceiling as he took a tentative sniff "I feel odd, almost incomplete. I will not last long in physical form."

"How long could you hold out?" Zoro persisted.

"I'm not sure, we'd have to try, but my best guess right now is maybe three to five minutes"

Zoro nodded "Sounds good, come on back inside and I'll practice with Kaze for a bit."

Tora gave his cub one last lick before disappearing into mist and sucking himself back into the moss headed man's body. Zoro grunted in minute pain when he felt his features shift, the once human ears now replaced by tiger ears, and the bottom of his spine melt so to extend to accommodate his tail "Right, Kaze, you're up."

" _ **Gladly!"**_

The rest of the night was spent switching between Kaze and Tora, practicing to the point he could reject them within a moment's notice propelling them into his world with physical form and attributes. Altogether Zoro was pleased with their progress, happy that his endless days of training and meditation had paid off. Now he only needed to wait the proper moment, one that he looked forward to with great anticipation. Soon he would escape and hopefully all would be in his favor. He just needed to be patient. Then at the crack of dawn right as Tora had sucked himself back into his user's body, the door opened and glaring white lights lit the lab.

"Good morning Roronoa, so good to see you back to your normal self. Let's begin shall we?"


	24. Chapter 24

Zoro glanced up at the hatch, fully expecting the man to open it for his purposes, whatever they may be, instead he found Rosso not approaching the ladder at all but flicking switches on a giant computer. The machine began an ominous whirring noise, air vents supplying oxygen to his tube bellowing as they were activated. The swordsman slowly stood to his feet cradling his broken arm, Zoro cast about, his body tense as he waited for whatever reaction those buttons would lead to. He didn't have to wait long.

The metal plate under him started to vibrate and his striped green ears flattened against his skull as dread stole over his frame. A green gas billowed into his chamber gathering around his feet with a sickly sweet smell. The swordsman gulped fresh air before holding his nose and clamping his mouth shut. Rosso however merely cackled in delight "It's no use Roronoa," he smirked "eventually you will have to take a breath!"

Zoro gave a vehement shake of his head making Rosso laugh again as the doors to the lab opened and Cadet Biggles ran into the chamber skidding to a stop "Did I miss anything?!"

"No, Biggles, you're right on time."

"Good," the cadet nodded vigorously "I just wanted to inform you Sir, that we've made dock at the Marine base and will be restocking food and supplies."

"Very good," Rosso nodded his words soft as he was very clearly distracted with his subject "when will we be able to set sail?"

"By tomorrow morning sir, at the very earliest."

The captain nodded before beckoning his cadet over to him "Look Biggles, Look! Very soon the specimen will breathe in the toxin I designed and we'll see some marvelous results, I'm sure!"

"Wow! Roronoa is back to normal!" Biggles exclaimed after he turned his attention back to the tube, his face alight with wonder "I wonder why he shrunk, was it a backlash from his bigger form? And what is that gas, sir?"

Rosso smiled clapping his cadet's shoulder with one hand "That gas will force him into his ultimate battle form. Granted with him having two different fruits within his body we may only see one side of his abilities, this time at least. I'm betting it will be the tiger battle form we saw earlier, however if we are fortunate we'll see the other Devil fruit's attributes."

Biggles turned to Zoro watching the man valiantly struggling to keep from breathing, but in an airtight container the swordsman was on the losing end of a hopeless battle. Inevitably, with neck muscles bulging and face a dark purple the man jerked his mouth open with a savage gasp unwillingly inhaling the toxin.

It started slow, Zoro doubled over as the gas forced his body into increasingly painful contortions. Biggles had to hand it to the pirate, he was tough, Zoro refused to scream even as his spine gave a crack that sounded like shattering bone. The moss headed man merely gave a grunt even as he fell to the floor. The cadet fought back a wince, he needed to stay cool, he had a job to do and there was no way that he was going to mess this up. Clearing his throat the man once again addressed his captain.

"Have you used this particular toxin before?"

Rosso spared him a glance before returning his observations to the devil fruit eater writhing within the enclosure "Yes, it has had significant success with various others, bringing out their most powerful forms, however I've yet to try it on one who has eaten two as none have ever survived the process, this is my very first test with this toxin on such a rare specimen."

"He is certainly one of a kind," Biggles stated.

Zoro clenched his jaw until his teeth creaked, struggling to contain his screams as the terrible pain from his forced transformation twisted his body. _"TORA!"_ the man shrieked within the confines of his mind.

" _ **I'm here!"**_ the tiger called back.

" _What's happening?!"_

" _ **He's bringing out the latent power within you,"**_ Kaze replied _**"your body is having trouble deciding which fruit spirit to turn to. The toxin is trying to force us to merge into one being and that will eviscerate you from the inside out."**_

" _ **Kitten,"**_ Tora roared fear interlaced with his rumbling growl _**"if you want to survive you must choose one of us and we'll protect you from the toxin!"**_

" _T-Tora!"_ The swordsman gasped out his decision as he labored to breathe _"I want Tora!"_

" _ **Hmm,"**_ Kaze pretended to take a moment to think before her features broke out in a wide grin _**"Too bad, you're getting me!"**_

Kaze dove forward, Tora tried to block her but the internal vibration from Zoro made the tiger hang back. Why would he provoke Kaze into taking over? Why would the kitten want to? Nevertheless the feline followed Zoro's lead allowing the wind spirit to take control. Kaze flowed into Zoro's bloodstream creating a howling wind tunnel which sucked the green gas into a raging tornado. Green hair grew and turned white as fluffy ears once again regained their humanoid shape and then sharpened into points. Slowly the man drug himself to his feet, the wind within the chamber whipping his silver hair around while the steel grey eye turned a luminous green. Human nails lengthened to deadly points and Zoro jerked forward and raked them across the glass even as he screamed in pain from the sea stone embedded inside it.

" **Let me out!"** Zoro bellowed his voice overlaid with Kaze's **"Release me, NOW!"**

"Magnificent!" Rosso threw his head back and laughed "This is marvelous! It appears that he also has a wind spirit within him."

The scientist proceeded to grab the nearest camera, snapped a few pictures then raced over to his computers his eyes reading the results garnered from the sensors within the tube. Rosso smiled as he grabbed the papers printing out of the machine before stuffing them in a folder. Flitting between two other computers Rosso found himself chuckling in delight at the readings.

"Fabulous," he murmured "simply fabulous. The sheer amount of power being pumped out, and this is technically only half of what he's capable of! Amazing!"

"Y-Yeah," Biggles murmured before clearing his throat "How long will this effect from the toxin last?"

"Only for a few moments more," Rosso replied casually "I'm going to prep the examination room for intensive testing, you wait until the specimen falls unconscious. Alert me once its down."

With that Rosso strode from the room leaving Biggles alone with their captive, and the cadet released a long held breath. The young marine watched Zoro continue to scream, his claws leaving long gouges in the supposedly bulletproof glass before the gas finally dissipated along with Zoro's wind battle form diminishing the violent monster back into the man. The moss headed swordsman lay panting on the floor, his breathing nothing more than a ragged gasp as he labored to draw air into his lungs. His body twitched with sporadic convulsions and Biggles could only bite his bottom lip in guilt. However Biggles had a job to do, so giving his face a few slaps and clenching his fists to clear them of the fearful shaking afflicting them the young cadet knelt in front of the suffering pirate. Dropping his voice to a low whisper, hoping that even through the fog of pain Zoro would hear him, the Marine spoke to the pirate his eyes wide in desperation.

"Hey," Biggles chuckled awkwardly "uh, I have some information you may find interesting."

A steel grey eye slowly glanced up at the marine, distrust swimming in its gaze even as he warred to maintain conscious "What?" he snarled.

Biggles quickly glanced around, ensuring Rosso was not within earshot before leaning closer "Your crew is on their way. The bridge told me that they are less than a day away,"

"And why," Zoro croaked "are you telling me this? Trying to torture me by threatening my crew?"

"No!" Biggles exclaimed before wincing and checking to ensure their conversation was still private "you see, we aren't telling Rosso that they're coming."

Zoro felt stark confusion freeze his heart and momentarily numb the agony ricocheting across his body "Why?" he rasped.

The cadet gave a heavy swallow "I…well, we," he suddenly paused, taking a deep breath before stifling a sob "we want to go home! Rosso is a madman, and we were hoping…"

Biggles shook his head, clearing his throat and regaining control of his emotions before continuing "Your crew will be here by tomorrow afternoon, our dock will be open to them and gun free allowing them free access to cross the dock to our ship, once they arrive I'll create a distraction for you to escape but…"

The cadet paused, guilt flitting across his features making Zoro suspicious "What's the catch?"

"It's up to you to survive the experiments till then."

"I don't get it, why do all this for me?" the pirate murmured, his vision going black as he fought against passing out.

"That's the thing, we were hoping you would…you know…"

Zoro cocked his head before understanding lit his gaze "You want me to kill Rosso,"

Biggles' eyes were wet with tears but held an edge of desperate panic "Yes, I mean it wouldn't matter if a pirate kills him. If we do it then we'll never see our families again, we'll all be sent to Impel Down for mutiny, but this way we'll just be stationed under someone else. I know its cowardly to do this, but we have no other choice, his experiments are sanctioned by the government to create a super soldier capable of killing your captain and other pirates of his caliber, but I'm tired of constantly watching my friend be cut up on his operation table. I'm tired of DEATH! So please, Roronoa, I'm begging you! Will you help us?!"

Zoro pursed his lips in careful thought. Granted he's killed before, he was no stranger to death, and while he wasn't normally in the habit of helping Marines (though Luffy was changing that stand with every crew they met) this sorry bunch genuinely needed his help. Plus on the upside, Zoro would get to take his revenge on the jerk who put him in this position in the first place. So with a grumbled complaint and rolled eye the man agreed.

"Fine, I'll help, but you better have a decent distraction."

Biggles merely smiled "Trust me, I'll do my part, if you do yours."

"You can count on me." The pirate smirked.

"Good," Biggles quickly stood and dusted off his pants "you're about to go into some pretty scary tests, most men don't survive."

"Do I look weak to you?" Zoro growled.

"No," Biggles shook his head "but I'm telling you that so to help you prepare."

"Sounds great, I'm just going to take a nap,"

The Marine sighed "Just promise me you won't die? You have thousands of men on this galleon counting on you to survive."

However if Cadet Biggles was expecting a heartfelt assurance that the pirate would endeavor to stay alive, he was certainly sorely disappointed. A soft snore reverberated within the tube and the cadet glared through the glass "Pirates," he muttered, then strode off to find Rosso and inform him the specimen had fallen unconscious.

…

Luffy sat on the figurehead, one knee bouncing with impatience. According to Nami they were barely a day away and would arrive by lunchtime tomorrow.

The raven haired youth grit his teeth in abject frustration. He wanted to see Zoro again, but even more he wanted to pound this Rosso guy into the ground. Images flashed before the young captain's gaze, memories of Zoro after they first rescued him. His screaming in pain, the way his heart gave out almost once to twice a day which resulted in Chopper having to restart his heartbeat. When the man woke up and had to get used to his new abilities. The meadow when Zoro finally came to terms with the possibility of giving up his dream, and the renewed determination when the man decided he would find another way to accomplish his dream. Zoro was in every right the first mate of this crew, the way he took care of everyone and bore their pains on his shoulders.

They would not fail him now when he needed them most. Tomorrow they would find the Marine base where that galleon was docked, and then they would destroy everything in their path until they retrieved their swordsman. After that? Luffy gave a malicious smile of blood lust, they would show Rosso just why it was dangerous to touch one of his nakama and Luffy highly doubted the man would survive the experience.


	25. Chapter 25

Zoro screamed. He was ashamed to do so, but he had held out for much of the morning without making a sound until now. Earlier that morning after he had woken up, Zoro found himself strapped to a table in a well-lit room, various instruments and needles hanging over his head attached to different machines. The swordsman had squirmed in discomfort at the question of what those things may do to him, and he soon found out. Needles jabbed his skin, testing his pain tolerance, forcing half transformations or even testing his healing capabilities.

Zoro groaned in pain at the latest experiment, a metal halo attached to his head with needles digging all the way down into his brain electrocuting the soft tissue in varying intervals, recording data, and collecting tissue samples with each one. His chest heaved as he fought to draw air into suffering lungs.

"You…jerk…" Zoro rasped, blood speckling his lips.

"Aw, don't be so uncooperative," Rosso smirked his eyes scanning the latest readings "we still have so many wonderful tests to do. Biopsies, injections and my personal favorite…a live autopsy."

Zoro couldn't help the shudder of fear that danced down his spine but his face remained neutral "Nah," he finally croaked with a cocky smirk "don't feel like it, how about we reschedule for another time?"

The scientist scoffed "Humor will not save you," he sneered "now, I need to make a decision. The knife? Or more needles?"

"How about a bottle of sake?"

Rosso quirked one eyebrow, his tones slow as he replied "No…"

"Then how about neither, and we call it a day?" Zoro smirked.

Rosso frowned before his face brightened and he chuckled "How about we flip a coin?"

…..

"The marine base! Straight ahead!"

Nami brightened at Luffy's shout "Gotcha!"

The crew gathered at the prow, their eyes eager and bodies tense for battle. Chopper was at the forefront of the huddled mass, his eyes brimming with tears though they contained a steely resolve. He would save Zoro, for all the times that Zoro had saved him and sacrificed himself, this time, Chopper promised himself, this time he would be the one who would lay his life on the line for his friend.

Slowly the loading dock for the Marine base came into view, and Usopp drew back his slingshot, ready to fire at anyone who may attack their ship. However to their surprise they were greeted with a small group of marines waving them over to a more secluded area of the dock. Nami and Franky exchanged confused glances but decided to follow their lead anyway. The marines in question quickly threw lines out so to secure their ship to the dock, Sanji and Usopp working quickly tying them down before unloading the gangplank. The Straw Hats disembarked and Luffy, flanked by Robin and Sanji, approached the odd men who helped them his face dark with distrust.

"Who are you," he demanded "and why are you helping us?"

The men looked around sheepishly, sweat beading across their foreheads as a stark terror filled their gaze. They dithered about who should answer for about a minute before one Marine was shoved forward, his face a grimace of fear. "We," he began "we know where your crewmate is, and we have a proposal, if you're willing to hear it to help you rescue him."

"A proposal?" Nami spoke up, a sly smirk on her face at the prospect of possible treasure negotiations "What kind of proposal?"

"Uh," the man gulped his sweat increasing as he attempted to back out of explaining their plan only for the men behind him to once again roughly push him back towards the pirates "one of our men, Cadet Biggles is stationed in the lab. He'll make a distraction allowing your comrade to escape and we'll allow you complete access to the base unhindered."

Robin pursed her lips thoughtfully, her already blue eyes growing icy as she assessed whether they were telling the truth "But why?" she finally queried "How would assisting us in rescuing our nakama benefit you in any way?"

"Yeah," the man wilted retrieving a hanky from his pocket and dabbing at his forehead "that's the thing. Rosso is a madman. He regularly takes sailors from our own galleon and tortures them with his experiments. We see friends die every day and we are powerless to do anything much less stop him without being arrested for mutiny and sent to Impel Down!"

"So you're basically hiring us to assassinate your captain?" Sanji scoffed "Cowards!"

The men groaned as one before they all sank to their knees bowing before the pirates "We understand it's cowardly," the lead speaker bellowed into the grass, tears and sweat mingling on his cheeks "we understand that what we're asking of you is dishonorable even for pirates. But we have no other choice. We want to see our families again and not live under the constant reign of terror Rosso commands on this ship. So we're begging you, please, save us!"

Luffy paused, turning to his crew with a question lingering in his eyes so Nami stepped forward her eyes bold and gleaming "Fine," she snapped "we'll do it, but in return we get exactly half of what you have in your treasury as payment."

The main speaker paused, casting a panicked look back at his co-conspirators "Can we do that?"

One of the other Marines nodded his head excitedly "Why not give them all of it?" he suggested eagerly "that way it will look like our base was plundered and Rosso was merely killed in battle?! Plus he's already reported back to the Marine Headquarters that he's captured Straw Hat Roronoa Zoro, so it's only natural they would come for their crewmate!"

Nami's eyes turned into Belli signs as she squealed in delight "I can agree to that!"

Robin chuckled while Usopp rolled his eyes, slapping his face with an open palm. Franky shook his head with a fond smile while Brook played his violin in excitement. Luffy merely grinned "I have no idea what you're talking about," the boy captain laughed "but you're basically saying you're going to help us rescue Zoro, right?"

"Uh," the three men looked between each other before giving hesitant nods "yeah, that is if you'll defeat our captain so we can be released from his command."

"No problem," Luffy said rolling his shoulder to warm up his muscles "I was planning on doing that anyway."

"LUFFY!" the navigator shrieked slamming her fist upside the raven black head "Don't tell them that, or they'll never give us their treasury!"

"No, you can still have it!" the leader assured "Consider it payment, off the record of course!"

"Good," Nami said with a firm nod "now, let's go rescue our nakama-!"

"And kick Rosso's butt!" Luffy finished his cobalt eyes gleaming.

"YOSH!"

…..

"Interesting," Rosso murmured over the groans of the swordsman strapped to the table.

For the past hour Zoro had been subjected to half transformations or injections that would render him completely human (though at a horribly painful price as the scientist would inject minute amounts of pure sea stone directly into his blood stream), all the while Rosso hovered nearby, a scalpel in hand. With each partial form, the scientist would slice off a piece of skin, sometimes human, sometimes tiger and sometimes his wind form. Then the captain would put the tissue samples under a microscope and record the differences found in each. This continued with the man drawing blood for further study, along with many more agonizing injections so to observe the reactions to each. All in all, Zoro was in immeasurable pain and ready to kill Rosso.

Biggles stood by, his hands clenching and unclenching as his frightened gaze flipped between his captain and their captive "What is interesting?"

"The almost unnoticeable differences between the DNA of each tissue sample," Rosso replied "I'm quite giddy with the amount of information I'm gathering."

"I see," the man answered uncertainly before his eyes caught sight of another marine signaling him through the window outside the lab, Rosso hadn't noticed, the time to instigate their plan was now "may I make a small suggestion sir?"

Rosso straightened, his gaze flicking over to his new assistant, curiosity along with thinly veiled tolerance lurking in its depths "Yes?"

"Maybe we should give the specimen a small break to recuperate," Biggles shrugged struggling to sound as natural as possible "I think your results would benefit from it. Give the past injections time to dissipate from his system and allow him time to recover so that his reactions will be less…sluggish?"

The captain watched the cadet, his keen gaze assessing and piercing making Biggles feel horribly uncomfortable. This lasted several moments, and the younger man was about to declare himself an idiot and beg his captain's forgiveness when suddenly Rosso broke into a smile "Well done, boy," he smirked "you're beginning to think like a scientist. Agreed, a small break would be beneficial, both for us and the specimen."

"Thank you, sir," Biggles spluttered bowing to his superior "what shall I do with Roronoa?"

"Leave him on the table," Rosso dismissed as he began to take off his lab coat "he can rest there well enough and we won't have to worry about unnecessary moving of the specimen."

Biggles nodded "I'll just double check his straps, sir."

Rosso nodded "I'll see you in two hours, no later."

"Yes, sir,"

Biggles approached Zoro, breathing out a sigh of relief when Rosso left the lab before loosening the straps and helping the pirate down from the table and walking him out of the lab away from the sea stone infused instruments "Your friends have just arrived and already made contact with my crewmates. They will be arriving within the hour, I suggest you recover as much as you can before facing Rosso. I warn you though, it won't be an easy battle. That guy has fighting Devil Fruit eaters down to a science, I can't promise you'll win."

"Don't worry about me," Zoro rasped "I can take care of myself, you just get my crew in here and we'll make sure that Rosso is buried."

"Good,"

…..

"ZOR-!"

Sanji planted a black leather clad heel directly onto Luffy's head "Idiot!" the blond snarled "the marine base may be on our side, but we don't want to alert Rosso about us being here too early!"

"Yes," Robin continued in an ominous voice "Rosso could decide that fighting us is not ideal and slit Zoro's throat with a sea stone blade so to avoid further confrontation."

The entire crew sent their resident archaeologist deadpan looks of morbid shock "You really need to work on that," Usopp muttered "you just totally chucked all optimism out the window, and this coming from ME is saying something."

Robin merely chuckled "I'll keep that in mind,"

…..

Zoro drug himself down the hall, his body screaming from the intense round of experimentation done on him barely an hour ago. The man was tired, but the impatience to get out of the base and back on his ship gave him the energy he needed to focus on putting one foot in front of the other. He was almost there, soon he and Luffy would kick Rosso from here to Kingdom come and then they would all get back to the _Sunny_ and Zoro could take a nice relaxing nap.

" _ **Yes, you'll take a nap, and then what?!"**_ Kaze shrieked _**"I'm tired of waiting, and now that we're free of that horrible room I can finally take matters into my own hands!"**_

" _ **Kaze, what are you doing?!"**_ Tora bellowed.

" _ **I'm taking complete control, and you can't stop me Tora. You're too weak from protecting the boy from the worst of the pain during Rosso's tests. Now it's my time, and I'm going to enjoy my newfound freedom!"**_

Zoro jerked forward, a ripping pain through his abdomen doubling him in half "Kaze," he growled out "I'm warning you, this isn't something you want to do."

" _ **Oh but it is, I can live on the outside using your body as my vehicle, I'll become the most powerful being in the world!"**_

Zoro sighed, he expected this. People thought him dense, but the swordsman was a master strategist and 98% of his calculated outcomes included this happening "Then I guess I'll just have to come in there and defeat you myself." He snarled.

" _ **Go ahead and try it, boy."**_

"Fine," Zoro ducked down a side hall, knowing that the only person he needed to hide from was Rosso before sitting down in a meditative position "then let's do this."


	26. Chapter 26

**TODAY IS MY BIRTHDAY! So as a birthday gift to my readers I decided to update a day early. ENJOY!**

 **Oh my, where were we? Oh that's right, we need to kick Kaze's butt. Let's do that, shall we?**

Zoro entered the mind space, seeing the circle of light and willing it to widen further so to reveal his opponent "No hiding in the shadows for you," he growled menacingly.

" **I'm impressed child,"** Kaze sneered **"in the short time you've had control you've mastered your powers to a level none before in history have ever achieved."**

"Aw," Zoro mocked "your compliments always make me feel so warm and fuzzy, too bad you're a raging psychopath!"

The wind spirit squealed in rage before flowing forward to stand nose to nose with Zoro **"And it's too bad you're an imbecile with no vision for the future!"**

" **My cub has plenty vision,"** Tora roared as he padded his immense bulk over to stand beside the swordsman **"you're merely throwing a temper tantrum like a spoiled brat merely because his vision doesn't coincide with yours. What are you going to do now, stamp your feet and scream until you get your way? Bully him into siding with you? My cub is many things, but a weak willed fool he most certainly is NOT! Zoro will never bend to your machinations!"**

Zoro smiled at the tiger beside him, warmth filling his heart over Tora's impassioned defense. He truly would miss the spirit.

Once again a pang of grief stung the man down to his very soul making his hands clench and his handsome features darken. How could he live without Tora? This tiger, strange as it may seem, was the closest thing to a father that Zoro had ever known besides his master. Though the man had loved Zoro as a son, his relationship with his sensei always felt somewhat strained. Even as his master showed how much he cared, there was this underlying sadness that always pervaded the man's gaze, making Zoro feel guilt even in the moments of his greatest achievements. Tora was different. This spirit came to know Zoro, and understood him like no one else has, besides perhaps Luffy. Tora adopted him as his cub and has never failed to comfort or console him in the darkest moments or cheer him on and congratulate him when he succeeded on a particularly difficult task.

Like a lightening shot to the head Zoro realized that somehow along the way Zoro had developed a bond with the tiger that he wasn't willing to give up. But how could he keep his relationship with Tora and pursue his dream? He couldn't have both.

The swordsman shook his head, he couldn't afford to be distracted right now the crew and Tora were counting on him to win this fight so he could finish his escape, defeat Rosso and finally get back to the Sunny for a well-deserved rest alongside his crew. They were putting their lives on the line for him at this very moment just by taking the chance to raid a Marine stronghold, granted its now on their side, but they didn't know that when they decided to come. He would not dishonor their efforts by losing this battle! Glancing over at Kaze, Zoro smirked, she was now screaming in Tora's face making his whiskers ripple with the force of her bellows. The tiger however merely looked on, his feline features drawn in abject boredom, the very picture of strained tolerance as he endured her barrage of verbal abuse. It almost the moss headed man chuckle, but he couldn't distract Kaze and remind her of his presence, he needed just one more moment to prepare for this battle.

Closing his eyes, the man focused on three very specific objects, straining to bring them (or at least their image) into this spirit world. It's been months since he held them, much less fought with them, but he still remembered their weight, their smell, their texture as he held them in his hands. It had been too long, but today, he was going to take them back and regain his title as their master. Like mist three long thin shapes appeared in the air, their image shimmering but slowly gaining clarity and the swordsman couldn't fight back the smile that stretched itself across his features. Opening his arms like a father welcoming home his children, Zoro willed them into his hands, muscular fingers clasped around the two hilts and his jaw clicking as he locked it into place around the familiar mouthful. His katana were back, and Kaze was in trouble.

…..

"Alright Biggles, let's get back to work."

Rosso sauntered into his lab, donning a pair of plastic gloves, smiling when they gave a satisfying snap only to pull up in a halt, his mouth agape with horror. The lab was devoid of life, the lights still turned off and on the table where he had previously left his experiment, lie only empty straps. Where was his specimen? Rosso felt his chest heave as panic and outrage warred across his features.

Stomping over to the examination table, the scientist fingered the sea stone straps, flipping them back and forth as he searched for any sign of damage that would clue him into just how the creature escaped. However the straps were clean, perfect, still shining with the leather treatment he had used on them a few days earlier. Which could only mean one thing…

"Biggles," Rosso snarled as he whirled towards the door.

"If he thinks he's going to take my experiment from me, and take all of my research all to tout it as his own, he's got another thing coming," the scientist rushed through the lab in a desperate bid for the door "but first, I must get my specimen back!"

…..

"ZOR-!"

A delicate fist with monstrous strength slammed into the captain's head, sending him straight to the ground "LUFFY!" Nami shrieked holding her steaming fist as she panted from exertion "How many times do we have to tell you to be _quiet_?!"

Luffy merely pouted "Why does everyone keep hitting me?" he whined petulantly "I'm trying to find Zoro!"

"The marines are taking us to him, but we have to be quiet so Rosso doesn't know we're here until we ambush him," the navigator explained through gritted teeth.

"Who cares if he knows?" the captain shrugged "I'm going to beat him up anyway."

"Zoro would care if Rosso decides to kill him," Sanji threw in, his visible eye deathly serious as he took a long drag from his cigarette "besides, what if he just thinks he'll take the ship and leave without us, escaping with Zoro and we'll have to search for him all over again."

Luffy pursed his lips in thoughtful silence, cocking his head as the gears turned allowing him to process the options presented to him on what would happen should Rosso be alerted of their presence too early. Finally with a decisive nod, the boy grinned up at his crew "Alright, I'll be quiet, but I get first dibs on Rosso,"

The Straw Hats smiled fondly at their captain, shaking their heads at his condition for staying silent "Fine," Nami agreed with a roll of her eyes "we can agree to that."

"I…" a small quavering voice broke through the conversation causing all to turn their gaze on the youngest crew member "I can't,"

Luffy frowned, his cobalt eyes assessing as Chopper slowly approached his captain "I'm sorry Luffy," the reindeer hiccupped softly "but I can't agree to letting you attack Rosso first."

"Why?"

The raven haired boy already knew, understood and even agreed to Chopper's reasoning but he wanted to hear it for himself. He wanted the confirmation to the feeling in his gut about their little doctor, and he especially wanted Chopper to validate it to himself. Luffy didn't understand why this was important, but his instincts were screaming that this was an important stepping stone for the reindeer, one that he couldn't afford to miss.

"It-It's," large tears welled up in Chopper's eyes dripping down his cheeks in trembling waves before the youngest ducked his head in shame and bellowed "It's MY FAULT!"

Each of the crew drew in a collective breath, each grieving for their little brother and each wishing to comfort him but the look in their captain's eyes bid them to stay so they did. Chopper sobbed in convulsing jerks, his little shoulders pumping with each breath heaved into his chest "It's all my fault," he wailed "if I had been stronger, if I hadn't gotten caught so easily then Zoro would never even had to have eaten the Devil Fruit, he wouldn't be HERE! Zoro's always protecting me, he's always there. I'm not stupid, I know that over half the damage he takes during a fight is from protecting us…protecting me. That's why I nag him, that's why I force him to keep his bandages on, I want him to get better, but I hate seeing my weakness permanently scarred into HIS skin!"

Drawing his hoof under his nose to swipe away the remaining tears, Chopper finally fixed his captain with a burning gaze of both shame and determined fury "Now it's my turn," he stated with an animalistic snarl "it's my turn to give back everything I owe him. It won't make us even, he's done too much for one rescue to make up for all the scars I'm responsible for, but it will mean that for once I stepped up and protected my crew instead of being a coward! I'm going to get stronger, strong enough to protect everyone, strong enough that Zoro will never have to put his life on the line for me again, and that starts today! So I can't let you fight Rosso first, not until I show him that using me to get to Zoro was the worst idea he's ever had!"

Luffy's face was a careful neutral, but the boy's mouth twitched as he valiantly fought against the grin fighting its way onto his features "You're sure?" he asked solemnly.

"Yes!"

"What you're asking for is a man's fight, you'll be completely on your own without our help, that's how it works," Luffy continued "that's what you want?"

Chopper gave a firm nod "One-on-one, by myself, no interruptions."

The captain paused before finally allowing his signature smile to spill across his face "Ok, I understand, you get to beat him up first."

Sanji watched this exchange with a fond smirk, one hand casually reaching up to run delicate fingers across the hilts of the swords he still carried across his back. The swords practically vibrated against his shoulder blades, giving an almost imperceptible pull towards their master. The chef frowned, closing his eyes and focusing on the swords, listening with his heart as he had only recently learned to do, trying to gain understanding as to why they carried a new feeling of urgency. The experience at the market when the swords had basically spoke to him had freaked the blond out enough, but it was only after that that Sanji had truly sat down and realized that the swords were more than mere hunks of stunningly sharp metal. In fact after so many weeks carrying Zoro's dream Sanji had come to a better understanding of the moss head's reverence for his blades. They had their own unique personalities, and right now they were singing with excitement.

Something had changed, something important.

Curly brows furrowed as the cook considered this new revelation. What was that moss headed idiot doing? The blades once again gave the barest of tugs, like obedient dogs being called by their master but were held back by an outside force. The dark blade, Sandai Kitetsu Zoro called it, in particular held a very loud presence that Sanji began to notice mere days after holding it. Now the cook understood why Zoro meditated so much, he too had taken to quiet moments alone in an effort to calm the raging bloodlust of the black blade. However it wasn't calling for blood at that moment, it was calling, its strong voice keening as it snarled to be restored to its true master. This could only mean one thing, Zoro himself was calling to them, which also meant…Sanji's eyes snapped wide as he was hit by revelatory lightening.

Zoro had reclaimed his dream, he had finally succeeded in his mission. Their swordsman had returned.

 **Whew….that was strangely exhausting to write. At any rate, TODAY IS MY BIRTHDAY! So as a particular birthday wish, please…**

 **REVIEW!**


	27. Chapter 27

**Yes, we're all excited, I'm excited because we're getting closer to the end of this fic. Not that I haven't loved the adventure but I'm sure we're all ready to see this wrap up.**

"Oh of all the ridiculous lazy things I've heard you say these past few months that has to be the worst!"

Zoro cocked an eyebrow watching as Kaze lit into Tora, her shrieking becoming the source of a pulsing headache building behind the swordsman's eyeballs. Tora must have felt the throbbing as well due to his ears being laid all the way back and the barest glint of teeth behind fuzzy lips. Finally the man could take it no longer as he had been standing there watching Kaze vent for an already atrocious amount of time "Are you done screaming, or do you need a few more minutes?"

Tora released an amused chuff, licking an immense paw so to groom his disheveled whiskers sent in disarray from Kaze's tantrum "How very noble of you kitten, you have more honor than I," he sent a toothy grin across the expanse to his cub "I would have sliced her from behind and just be done with it."

Zoro growled in disapproval though his steel grey eye twinkled in playful mischief "A swordsman's greatest shame is a scar on his back, but an even greater shame is to attack someone from behind especially when they're unarmed and unprepared for battle."

Kaze sneered at the man as she straightened up and turned to her user "Your honor is going to be the death of you one day," she stated as her lip curled "Tora's correct, you should have attacked while you had the chance."

"There are things I regret in my life, more than I want to admit," Zoro rumbled slowly "but I'll never regret following the code of honor taught to me by my sensei."

"Too bad," Kaze murmured as she sauntered over to where Zoro stood "you could have been so much more, done so much more, if not for your stupid pride as a swordsman."

"What are you talking about," Zoro sneered "I'm going to be the world's greatest swordsman, there's nothing better than that, not to me."

"And that weakness is what's keeping your vision of the world so narrow," the wind spirit spat "why become the world's greatest swordsman when you can be the king?"

Zoro's steely gaze sharpened as his jaw clenched hard enough to make his molars creak "The only person who's going to be king is Luffy, I don't need or even want a crown, and the only person I'll see wearing one will be my captain. End of story."

"Oh yes, your captain Luffy," Kaze murmured through thin lips pursed in a disdainful pucker "why you pledge such strong loyalty to a fool like him I'll never understand. He has no right to be king of the pirates, he'd be better off dead somewh-,"

Suddenly the wind spirit sucked in her breath, her speech cut off by the glistening ebony blade resting a hair's breadth from her neck. Though there was a fraction of space between metal and skin, the murderous intent radiating from its user and the bloodlust of the cursed sword caused a thin line of blood to break, dripping slowly down in stark contrast to marble white skin.

"I suggest you choose your next words very carefully," Zoro snarled he face feral in its rage "no one disrespects my captain, at least no one that I allow to live shortly after the experience. Now luckily for you, we're going to fight, duel just like you wanted, but the catch is if I win you're getting shoved out of my body and you're not coming back."

"That will kill me," Kaze hissed "you know that, without a host body I will die with no hope of regeneration."

"And how is that different from what you're going to do with me?" Zoro barked "I know I'm not as smart as Robin, but I'm not an idiot, I researched what awakening does to a host!"

Kaze reared back, her pupils dilating in shock before a sickly smile twitched the corners of her mouth "Well, well, well," she finally rasped "it looks like the child is more intelligent than I thought."

"Yeah, big shocker," Zoro scoffed returning the cursed blade to his side but twirling it casually to remind Kaze of its very real danger "but here's the real kicker, apparently after an awakening the host loses their mind and the spirit is in complete control making the awakened host nothing more than a wild beast."

Tora drew in a sharp breath, "I never knew" he murmured, "I had heard that awakening unlocks great power but I have never had a host who was capable of it."

The tiger released a disconsolate whine, butting his head into Zoro's side "I would never do that to you, you know that?"

"Of course," Zoro smiled softly before turning a dark frown towards Kaze "Her though, her I know would try to push me towards awakening."

Kaze shrugged in seeming carelessness "That's not exactly a secret, much less anything I even tried to hide."

"True," the swordsman nodded "however I still have a problem with you taking over my body and essentially stealing my dream. Now you've been inside of me long enough to know there are three things I can't forgive. Insulting my captain, coming against my crew and trying to steal my dream and guess what Kaze? At this point, you're pretty much dead to me."

The wind spirit's features twisted as a malicious grin spilled across her face, lily white hands stretched out to her sides as she bent low, preparing to dart forward "Then let's begin,"

Zoro smirked raising his sword, sparks exploding around him as claws met steel "It's your funeral,"

…

Chopper clopped down the abandoned halls of the giant Marine galleon. He felt much less confidence than he had portrayed in front of his captain. To be honest, the small reindeer remembered the almost clinical precision that Rosso had captured them. Both instances they had barely a chance to bat an eye before they were in chains and being dragged into cold damp cells. The very memory caused Chopper to shudder, his tiny hooves rubbing his upper arms to draw warmth into his limbs. He would be ok, honestly he had his various transformations and he had a plan. At least he thought he did.

Suddenly the frantic thudding of leather soled shoes echoed down the hallway, making Chopper hide behind a corner, peeking around it as he did so. Rosso bolted down the hallway past the straw Hat's hiding spot, his face a sneer of disgust whilst turning multiple shades of purple "Biggles!" he bellowed "Biggles, you present yourself right now!"

The captain was raging, beyond mere anger and beyond fury, Chopper gave a heavy gulp at the image of the man he was to do battle with. Whoever this Biggles guy was, he certainly didn't do this reindeer any favors. Rosso was ticked off, and now he had to face him and give his best effort in avenging Zoro. Chopper shook his head, no, he wouldn't be a coward, not now! Zoro was counting on him, his crew was depending on him to finish this, and Chopper grit his teeth in a determined snarl and promised himself that he wouldn't give up or give in until Rosso hit the ground.

"BIGGLES!"

The shriek brought Chopper back to his present situation, and the small physician steadied shaking hooves before stepping out from his hiding spot and give a commanding bark "ROSSO!"

The Marine paused in his desperate search, turning around to cast pitch black eyes on the reindeer, his face blanked in confusion before he muttered "You, what are you doing here?"

"I'm here to rescue my nakama," Chopper growled "and I'm going to make sure you never come after us ever again."

"Oh?" Eyebrows shot skyward before a pleased smirk twitched his lips "Oh, I see, you're going to avenge your crewmate by fighting me? How very noble, but you see child, I'm afraid you're in too far over your head."

"We'll see about that!"

….

"In here!"

Robin followed Nami into a dimly lit room, pristine white counters lined the walls while various scientific and surgical equipment all infused with Seastone lay on various tables littered throughout the space. The raven haired woman steeled herself not only from the unpleasant mineral making her senses swirl, but also knowing that they may find something unpleasant within. Though she had a morbid way of viewing things, Robin had just as strong sense of family and concern as anyone else on their crew. She wasn't an ice queen, it was just easier to process troubling problems when you shut down your emotions. It had taken years to train herself to keep a tight rein on her emotions, never showing anything she didn't want to be seen. However the archaeologist couldn't help but fear that this may be something beyond her training. Drawing in a careful breath, Robin entered the room only to find a shaking Nami within.

The ginger headed woman stood on the far end of the room, her fists clenched and shaking with fury at her sides even while tears streamed down her cheeks. Robin bit her lip, lengthening her stride to see what has upset their navigator so, and even she with all her careful control could not hold back the horrified gasp.

A steel table, covered only by a thin linen sheet, adorned with Seastone infused straps. The linen was stained heavily with blood, while a crown dyed crimson its horrible needles still dripping rubies hung just a foot above. Scratch marks tore the sheet below the wrist straps showing that Zoro must surely have struggled or at the least been in immense pain. The sight of the table drove an icy spike of fury into the woman's heart, her aquiline eyes growing murderous at the evidence to what had been done to their crewmate.

"How…" Nami sobbed through a snarl "How could he do this?! What kind of monster does this to other people?!"

Robin merely placed a lily white hand on the convulsing shoulder "I know it's terrible, but at least Zoro isn't here." She murmured soothingly "Maybe he escaped? We need to let everyone else know so they can continue their search."

The navigator nodded, drying her eyes and diving for her baby den-den "This Rosso guy is going to pay," she hissed as she prepared to make the group call "and I'm going to make sure that he suffers."

…..

Franky pelted down the one of the many corridors, Sanji at his side as they searched for their lost nakama.

"Sanji," Nami's voice came over the baby den-den, urgency and a slight catch in her tone "Robin and I found the lab, Zoro's not here."

"What do you mean he's not there?!" the cook bellowed.

"Exactly that!" Nami spat back "He may have escaped or Rosso may have him, but either way you need to widen your search and get him to safety."

Sanji sighed, before giving a reluctant nod "Right, don't worry Nami-San, we'll find him."

"Good," the den-den paused, hesitation written on its features just as Nami gathered up the courage to admit to what she had seen "Sanji?" she quavered.

"Yes, Nami-swan?"

"Th-There was a lot of…a lot of blood," she choked out "and there was this metal headband with giant needles in it, they were covered in it too…"

The navigator was cut off by an abrupt sob before she sniffled and continued "He was tortured Sanji…They were hurting him in terrible, terrible ways. His blood is everywhere…you have to find him!"

Franky and Sanji had long come to a stop, their eyes wide as they listened to the navigator's words. The chef was frozen, but Franky let his anger loose in a giant punch to the wall that left a heavy indentation. The sound of the cyborg's outburst echoed down the hall, successfully waking Sanji from his reverie, long enough for the man to allow a grimace of bloodlust to cross his features. Gripping the den-den, Sanji growled out his answer to the distraught navigator.

"Roger that,"

Putting the communication device away Sanji straightened his jacket then casually lit a cigarette "Come on Franky," the blond snarled as he pinned malicious burning eyes on the corridor ahead of them "that guy tortured our nakama, but worse than that he made Nami-swan cry, there's no way I'm forgiving that."

Franky just grinned evilly "Right," he chuckled darkly "let's go find Zoro and then kill us a Marine."

 **Is this acceptable? I hope so, yes I know, still no action yet, but I'm getting there! There are so many side stories we just don't have space for all of them!**

 **Enjoy, and please REVIEW!**


	28. Chapter 28

**I'm going to be crazy busy this week, so I thought I'd just update a couple days early, ENJOY!**

 **There will be action this time I promise!**

Zoro ducked under a long sweep of claws, a thin line of blood on his cheek causing his face to grimace at just how close they really were to gouging his features. Whirling in a deadly dance, the swordsman brought his blades down towards his opponent only for the metal to ring like the hammer when it meets an anvil as they were blocked yet again by Kaze's nails. Straining against the wind spirit, sparks flew as the two ground against each other before Kaze threw her hand to the side the momentum causing Zoro to tumble to the ground. The moss headed warrior was undaunted however, using the stumble as an opportunity to slice a shallow gash into Kaze's side making her screech in pain before regaining his footing within the blink of an eye. Silence fell on the mental battleground the two assessing their opponent, neither in a hurry to attack, both wary of the other.

" **You fight well,"** The wind spirit admitted begrudgingly.

"Well you can't become the World's Greatest Swordsman without some skill," Zoro smirked one hand slowly wiping the blood dripping from his cheek.

Kaze scoffed **"It really is a pity that your dream is so…small,"**

The swordsman gnashed his teeth, fury at her derision for his dream coloring his gaze red "I'm really sick of you disrespecting my dream like that. Becoming the World's Greatest Swordsman isn't easy you know, and it isn't a small dream. If it's what your heart truly desires above anything else, there's no such thing as a small dream!"

" **Keep telling yourself that,"**

With a roar of feral rage, Zoro dove forward once again swirling his blades in fatal precision. Kaze blocked one katana, yelping when it grazed her cheek, but was unable to stop the devastating blow across her right thigh. Silvery blood flowed, but the wind spirit had no time to nurse her wounds as Zoro immediately followed up with a writhing razor sharp tornado that swallowed the spirit. Standing back at a safe distance Zoro smirked at her screams, however the swordsman kept his gaze steady, knowing it would be unwise to count out the stubborn spirit just yet. Panting from exertion, the moss headed warrior slowly straightened up watching as the storm dissipated leaving a ragged Kaze in its wake.

" **Using my own element against me,"** she snarled through stringy blood matted white hair, her lavender eyes wild **"talk about adding insult to injury."**

Zoro merely shrugged "If you're as powerful as you claim you are, then why couldn't you stop it?"

" **Because you've weakened her,"** Tora chuffed smugly **"by neglecting to use her powers and not training yourself in the way of the wind you've unconsciously weakened her. How fascinating, the spirit's power is governed by the will of its user thus you are able to render her helpless if you so choose."**

" **That doesn't even make sense?!"** Kaze spat stomping her foot in a small tantrum **"How can a child like him weaken me, a spirit who has been around for millennia?!"**

Tora shrugged one shoulder casually, his tongue curling as he gave a wide yawn before answering in a bored tone **"Have you forgotten? We haven't always been able to talk to our users before Zoro, and it is purely by their will alone that they are able to gain new levels of access to our powers. With each battle, each desperate struggle, each moment where they realize they are going to die if they don't somehow become stronger the users of this world delve deeper into the power of the Devil Fruit. It is through blood, toil and pain that they harness their sheer force of will to become unstoppable warriors, not through the spirits themselves which they house. Zoro has paid you little to no attention stunting your growth and halting your hold over his body, so thus in this ring, you are powerless."**

Kaze's shoulders pumped as she heaved in ragged breaths, her eyes starting to glow in a deranged light as her mind gave an almost audible snap. The formerly beautiful white kimono now hung in ragged tatters around her, flouting like burial shrouds caught up in a sinister gale. Her hair no longer flowed past her shoulders in pristine well combed waves, but currently resembled something out of a horror movie, its stringy tangles obscuring her face giving only short glimpses of bared teeth and wide lavender eyes overflowing with insanity. A windstorm of terrifying proportions kicked up, the power of the wind spirit suddenly increasing exponentially.

" **That is unacceptable,"** she hissed raising one clawed hand **"I will show you just what I'm truly capable of!"**

"Bring it on!"

…

"I found something!"

The chef poked his head around the corner of an intersection, looking down the hall to where his nakama stood pointing a robotic finger at the wall. Sanji jogged over to the man, his heart suddenly leaping in his chest as he noticed what Franky was drawing attention to. Crimson stained the wall, starting as a handprint and smearing further down in what the blond could only assume was a desperate escape from the lab.

"I'm impressed he made it this far," Franky muttered "if what Nami-sis said was right, he should be passed out by now from blood loss."

Sanji just snorted, but couldn't tear his eyes away from the bloody wall "Please, the moss ball barely registers blood loss, to be honest I'm impressed that it appears he's going in the right direction for once."

"Huh?"

The chef chuckled "This is the fastest route to the exit, I doubt the idiot knew that though, I can't really blame him who would be able to operate at 100% after being tortured for God knows how long?"

"At any rate," Franky broke in "we have a direction, and I'm willing to bet that we'll find more marks on the wall that will lead us to where he is."

Sanji replied with a decisive nod "Right, let's go."

…..

"Little raccoon trying to play with the big boys, it would almost be considered sweet if it weren't for the fact that you're a dirty pirate."

Chopper shuddered at Rosso's voice, gritting his teeth as he fought against the shiver of fear trying to kick start his flight instincts, choosing rather to go against his very DNA as prey to stay and fight his latest predator "I'm not a raccoon, you jerk," he growled "I'm a reindeer."

"Rather puny for a reindeer, and how does a reindeer talk anyway?" The scientist paused as he considered this "everyone thinks you're just the pet of the Straw Hats but you show genuine intelligence. I must admit I'm fascinated, what are you, really? A human who ate a reindeer Fruit? Or a Reindeer who ate the human Fruit? I'm practically itching to get you back to my lab."

Chopper clenched his little hooves, anger surging through his veins "How dare you," he shouted "you're a scientist, you're supposed to be trying to make people's lives better! Not hurting innocent people all for your sick experiments!"

"Innocent? You call Roronoa Zoro innocent? HA!" Rosso cackled out a laugh before returning his attention to the reindeer "My dear child, your so-called friend is guilty of atrocities you couldn't even imagine, slain hundreds if not thousands in cold blood."

"You're WRONG!" the little doctor snapped "I know him! He doesn't kill innocent people, and while he enjoys battle it's only against people who deserve to go down. He fights to protect himself, to protect his family and in honorable duels! When he isn't fighting he's kind and gentle, and he likes to take naps in the sunshine. He gives me hugs whenever I need them and sometimes he can even be talked into playing games with the crew. He's one of the greatest people I know and he even calls a monster like me his little brother! So you can cast your judgment on Zoro all you want, but it doesn't matter because you don't even know him!"

Rosso sneered at Chopper's impassioned defense of Zoro's character "Maybe, it's true I don't know him in the way you do" he scoffed before allowing a slow evil smile drip across his face "but I do know him in different ways. I know how to make him scream, I know how far he can hold out before he allows tears to roll down his face even as he bites his tongue to keep from begging for his life. I've seen fear enter his gaze just when I walk into the room, and even though he tried to be strong I know his weaknesses and I know how to exploit them."

"You're no scientist," Chopper snarled "you're twisted and sadistic, you don't even deserve to wear that white coat!"

"And what would you know about it? You, who are no better than the animal you appear to be, who are you to lecture someone as me?!" Rosso shot back.

"I'll tell you who I am," Chopper fell to all fours as his body grew to its natural reindeer form, horns lengthening and body become lithe and muscular "I'm Tony-Tony Chopper, apprentice to Doctor Kureha and Physician of the Straw Hat pirates. I have saved the lives of countless civilians and defended my nakama from Death itself! I am the doctor who will one day find a cure for all ailments, but today I am one thing only. Today I am the one who will shut you down, permanently!"

"Interesting," Rosso smirked his dark eyes glinting "a doctor who's willing to break their oath by killing another? Just what is Roronoa Zoro to you that would cause you to do such a thing?"

"I already told you! He's my big brother!"

…

Zoro groaned in agony blood dripping from his tattered body, Kaze held him high above the floor nails digging into his throat, her icy lavender gaze bright with giddy happiness **"Do you see?"** she whispered **"you should have listened to me while you had the chance, but now you're going to die and then after I take control of your body I'll slowly kill each of your nakama with your hands! Just the thought of it makes me shiver in delight!"**

" **KAZE!"** Tora roared menacingly **"Let him go!"**

" **Oh stuff it you oversize housecat!"** Kaze spat **"You can't interfere, this is our fight!"**

Using the momentary distraction, Zoro grabbed the slender wrist and forced all the strength he had left into crushing it beneath his vise like grip. The satisfying feeling of cracking bones trembled beneath his fingertips and Kaze screeched in pain, dropping the man to land roughly on the floor.

Tora bounded over to his cub while Kaze nursed her broken wrist, sharp teeth bared as he used his own body as a wall to defend Zoro **"You won't touch my kitten! I don't care if it's your duel, he's mine! Mine to protect! I won't let you near him."**

"Tor-," Zoro coughed, wincing at the almost assured internal damage his throat had taken before attempting to speak once again "Tora…I'm ok, I can…finish this fight."

Tora whirled around to face the man, topaz eyes pleading with his cub **"I can't allow this!"** he chuffed, licking Zoro's head and neck injuries before turning to face Kaze with a determined gaze **"I will defend you, even if it costs me my own life!"**

"Tora!" Zoro rasped struggling to regain his footing "No! Don't…do this!"

The tiger however ignored Zoro's plea and instead charged the wind spirit, his mighty roar shaking the space. Kaze screamed in fury as she flowed forward, and the two met in the middle with a loud explosion of raw power. Zoro forced himself to his feet, his frightened gaze scanning the battleground for any sign of the tiger who had become so dear to his heart. However as the dust settled and the swordsman saw an orange and black pile of fur lying on the ground, a crimson pool slowly growing beneath him, Zoro found a cry of heart wrenching cry of grief ripping itself from his throat in one echoing scream.

"TORA!"

 **I'm so glad you all are enjoying this so much! Please, if you love this fic, make this writer happy and leave a review!**

 **THANKS!**


	29. Chapter 29

**Thank you for your patience, as I'm sure you all know, with it being the holidays right now I have very little time to sit in front of my laptop and write. I am determined to keep my promise of one chapter per week though!**

A roaring battle cry echoed down the hall as Chopper lowered his head and charged the man responsible for all their pain. Rosso merely smirked, stepping to the side, expecting the reindeer to simply pass him by in its blind rage but none of his calculations included said animal suddenly exploding in a billow of smoke. Chopper knew that such a simple plan of attack wouldn't work, and he had expected Rosso's ego, and thus with the opening he just created for himself the doctor shifted unto Kung Fu point whirling in midair to land a solid kick across the scientist's jaw. The impact of his attack sent Rosso flying into a nearby wall, a lovely dent memorializing the battle taking place.

Rosso staggered to his feet, barely diving out of the way when Chopper swooped in for another hit "You freak," he spat "what makes you think you can defeat me, the man who's been taking Devil Fruit users captive for years?! There's nothing you can do, all I have to do is analyze your attacks and I'll win!"

Chopper gave a dark chuckle, one that would probably scare even Zoro, "Whatever makes you feel better, but I have no reason to fear you because I can honestly say I've never seen you fight."

"What?!" came the indignant response "How do you think I took your precious crewmate down?"

"Your men did the dirty work," Chopper retorted "in both instances actually. True you came up with the plan, you laid the groundwork and organized the traps, but when it came to getting your hands dirty you always stood back and watched as your men laid their lives down for your sick ambition. You're nothing to be afraid of, you're just a fraud."

"A fraud, eh?" Rosso hissed, his forehead pulsing with irritation "I'll show you what I'm capable of!"

Turning around the man darted away, his face turned towards his lab and the tools he so desperately wanted to get a hold of but it was all for naught. Four slender cloven hooves slammed into his back, digging into pressure points along his spine rendering him immobile. The scientist screeched in pain as Chopper shifted from Horn Point to Heavy Point, his muscles barely bulging as he picked up his opponent by the throat.

"I don't think we're quite done yet," the doctor growled.

Rosso dug frantically through his pocket with one trembling hand, the other gripping the thick wrist of the reindeer. The scientist grit his teeth, watching as Chopper reared back one fist until finally his fingers closed around a sea stone scalpel. The man released a demented grin, slashing his opponent's arm with the small knife, a chuckle issuing out from between bared teeth at the cry of pain the reindeer gave. Chopper held his arm against his chest, brown eyes wary and calculating as he assessed the man standing before him. Rosso gripped his weapon in desperate fingers, his breathing labored as he too kept an eye on his current dance partner. Understanding lit in the gaze of both, Rosso knew he could not reach his lab to get the tools he designed specifically to fight devil fruit users while Chopper acknowledged that he shouldn't underestimate the man holding a sea stone scalpel. Their fight would be waged and won right in that hallway.

Wordlessly, the two sunk into a fighting stance, Rosso brandishing his knife while Chopper tossed his head now adorned with sharp horns. Scraping one hoof along the metal floor, the reindeer once again charged his opponent, the scientist responding in kind. With determined shouts Rosso and Chopper collided as their mortal struggle continued.

…..

"Tora! Tora, answer me?!"

Zoro had long since scrambled to the Tiger's side, his eye misty as he fought against the grief welling up in his throat. Muscular hands caressed the silky fur along the still muzzle, before reaching up to wrap around the large neck. The swordsman stifled the strangled sobs convulsing in the bottom of his throat as he hugged the tiger, burying his now wet face into black stripes. Stroking the strong shoulder Zoro whispered to the bloody cat, pleading him to open his eyes, to speak to do something to show he was ok.

"Come on, Tora," the swordsman begged softly "don't give up, just open your eyes. You can do it."

Kaze watched this with a sneer of disdain, her lavender eyes dark with contempt for the tiger **"Just give up,"** she spat **"the stupid housecat gave all of his strength to protect you. From shielding your life energy from my power all the way to numbing the pain during the experiments with Rosso, Tora gave more and more of himself so that you wouldn't have to suffer. Which left him with the pittance he used to face me. No wonder he's practically dead."**

Zoro's ears pricked up as his attention was captured by one word "Practically," he rasped, hopes rising as he latched on to Kaze's statement "he's not dead?"

" **Oh trust me, he will be soon, proceeded by you,"** the wind spirit sniffed **"you're so close to death yourself, it will be easy to kill you both and be done with this wretched arrangement."**

"I can save him though," the swordsman queried, the light slowly returning to his gaze as new strength flooded his limbs "if I defeat you?"

Kaze shrugged carelessly, **"It's possible, defeating me would render him sole custody over you, thus your life force would bring him back from the very edge of death. You would be in agonizing pain not to mention bedridden for weeks afterwards until you've both recovered, but really the chances of you making it that far are infinitesimal. Just face it child, you're going to die here, by my hand!"**

Zoro gave his head a violent shake, refusing to allow her any more power over him "No, no I'm not!"

Drawing his swords from their sheath in one swift motion Zoro rushed Kaze slicing through her protective shield before swirling in a graceful arc bringing his blades down around her. Kaze gapedas the boy went through a startling transformation, what once was three blades now was nine as four extra arms and two heads sprouted out of nowhere. If she remembered correctly Zoro had spoken of this technique, calling it Asura. The wind spirit noted glumly as the blades finally reached her porclein flesh that she may have underestimated the child's power. A tornado, kicked up by Zoro's attack, shrieked around her as a portal to the outside world opened forcing her out in one swift motion. Kaze screeched as she was sucked out, her last glimpse of the boy who defeated her being his cocky grin and a twinkle of fingers as he waved good-bye.

" **NO! NOOOO!"**

…

"Sanji! I found him!"

The cook slid to a stop beside the cyborg, relief showing on his features before they quickly morphed to horror.

Zoro sat in what Sanji knew to be one of his meditation poses, though for what purpose he hadn't the slightest clue. The swordsman's body was covered in blood, particularly from what looked like fresh gashes all over his body. Honestly the guy looked like he got in a fight with a wood chipper. His neck was bruised and also weeping blood from what looked like, nail marks? Sanji shook his head, maybe the swordsman already fought against the scientist? He saw the results from the experimentation judging by what Nami had told him, but that wouldn't explain the odd markings that appeared oddly recent.

Suddenly the swordsman tensed, his teeth bared as he seemed to brace against an invisible attack when an explosion of blood flowed from his mouth. Zoro shook with what the duo grimly acknowledged as a seizure, the crimson substance still leaking from his mouth and eyes. Sanji and Franky gasped in unison as they watched, however as quickly as it began, all became still. Zoro froze, his body so motionless it was unnerving. The two nakama leaned in close, both listening for any sign of breath but instead they heard a tortured whisper leak from between clenched teeth.

"Tora,"

That one word carried an ocean's worth of emotion, though it was murmured so softly they barely heard, this accompanied by one solitary tear streaming down the tan cheek shook the pirates to their core. Grief, sheer undeniable pain accompanied by a deep sorrow. For what they weren't sure but it was obvious that whatever it was, Zoro felt very strongly about it strong enough to weep for its loss. Sanji bit his bottom lip as apprehension stole over his frame, could it be the tiger spirit that Zoro had told them about? He had admitted that the tiger had somewhat adopted him as its cub, could something have happened?

"Isn't that the name of the tiger," Franky asked, his mind clearly on the same track as the chef's "you don't think Kaze decided to make Zoro fight the duel while he's weak, do you?"

The cook winced "It would make sense if she did, she's been wanting to take over his body for weeks now."

"I got a bad feeling then, because Zoro-bro doesn't cry over just anything,"

Sanji nodded in agreement with the cyborg's statement "What should we-?"

A bright light broke off Sanji's question causing both men to jump back with a startled yelp. A violent gale of wind surged into the hallway as a screaming wind spirit was forcibly pushed out of Zoro's body and sent careening down the path. Sanji and Franky had just barely managed to get out of her way watching with twin stunned expressions until she disappeared. The hall grew still as the wind died down leaving the ruffled nakama in its wake. Franky and Sanji stared after the retreating spirit, both frozen from the odd occurrence before a raspy croak broke them from their reverie.

"Hey, about time you got here, either of you two idiots got any food on you? I'm starving."

… **.**

Chopper panted, his shoulders heaving as his dark gaze watched Rosso carefully. Both had sustained a lot of damage and neither were ready to give in just yet. Although, Chopper wearily noted, he could feel his legs trembling with every heartbeat and he knew he needed to end this now. Bracing himself for another attack the reindeer drew in a deep breath, but he soon discovered that their fight was about to be interrupted.

A bright light from down the hall shot past Chopper before burying itself inside of Rosso. The man fell flat on his back, his eyes wide as the changes took over his body forcing him to drop the scalpel as he felt his energy seep into its mystical properties. "Wha-What's happening to me?!"

" **Shut up and stop fighting me, you imbecile!"**

Rosso gasped as the strange voice crashed through his mind "Who are you?"

" **Strange,"** the voice murmured **"it appears my connection with the green haired brat has allowed me the ability to speak to all my users."**

"Green haired…Zoro!" Rosso shot up into a sitting position, ignoring the reindeer currently hiding (backwards?) around the corner "You're one of his spirits! The wind spirit!"

" **Yes, now as my user are you going to help me take him and his idiotic crew down, or do I have to force you?"**

Rosso slowly stood to his feet, a dark chuckle growing into a loud maniacal laugh "Oh I'll help you my dear, why with this power…I could RULE THE WORLD!"

" **Finally, someone I can agree with,"**

Chopper watched the cackling man with wide terrified eyes "This…can't be good…"

 **Whew…Wrote that in the space of three hours!**

 **Hope you enjoyed and please REVIEW!**


	30. Chapter 30

**Well things are finally getting heated, you guys have no idea how long it has taken me just to get to this point. Countless hours of planning and preparation all coming to a head. Yay!**

Chopper took off at full speed, eyes wide and tears streaming down his face as he shrieked his way down the hall. The only thought on his mind was to warn Luffy that their most recent nemesis had significantly powered up, unfortunately Rosso was not far behind the terrified animal, his maniacal laugh echoing throughout the ship.

"Run little raccoon," he screamed gleefully "but now I have access to more power than even I could ever imagine!"

Chopper snuck a look over his shoulder, his mouth open to shoot back that he was in fact not a raccoon but his opponent's proximity and the scary way it was shrinking only made the reindeer give another frightened wail. Putting an extra burst of speed into his frantic hooves, the miniature physician pelted his way through the ship as a pleading cry echoed amongst steel rafters.

"LUFFYYYY!"

….

"You sure you're ok, bro?"

Zoro nodded, taking the cyborg's proffered hand and hauling himself up to his feet. His body immediately reacted. Bruised bone screamed with each movement while his muscles twitched and convulsed as their master pushed them past their limit and commanded they work to move his powerful frame. His entire body tightened in agony, showing his chiseled form to its greatest advantage, darkness ate away at the swordsman's vision as it tunneled and the man gave a dangerous sway. However Zoro was no stranger to regaining his equilibrium after taking a hit. Granted, this was more over exhaustion from surviving torturous experimentation, but pain was pain, regardless of how it came to be and the moss headed man had long learned how to master it. Gritting his teeth, Zoro sunk into a mild meditative state, forcing his body to calm and whispering to taut muscles to loosen.

Sanji watched his closest friend and rival draw in in ragged breaths, his wounds still weeping fresh blood with every spasm from agonized muscles. However despite the obvious discomfort Zoro was, as always, remarkably calm and seemingly unbothered by his injuries. Eventually the tense shoulders softened allowing Zoro to open his eye, the silver gaze bright and his jaw clenched in determination. Despite the fluffy tiger ears and the tail they had all grown used to the past few months, the swordsman seemed like he was finally back to his old self. For the first time in a long time, Sanji could see the marimo he had sailed with before this all happened. The chef shook his head chuckling softly, a smile brightening his face as an inexplicable feeling of intense relief lifted off his shoulders.

Franky turned to face the blond, one hand lifting his sunglasses up onto his head as he gave Sanji a quizzical look, Zoro merely snarled at his rival "Something funny, dartboard?"

"Nah," Sanji merely shrugged "I was just thinking that you certainly took your sweet time sorting things out, you really are a hopeless idiot, you know that?"

In one swift motion, Sanji reach behind one shoulder and slung the three sacred blades off his back and held them out to their true master. Zoro looked down at his katana, his molten silver orb softening as longing filled its depths, and a sharp hunger for battle lingered along the edges. Finally with his signature cocky smirk the moss headed man stretched out one muscular hand and without even the slightest hesitation gripped his blades securing back in their rightful place at his side. The sight of Zoro allowing himself to take back his dream was extremely moving for all involved and both the chef and swordsman had to swallow down a thick wad of emotion lodging in their throat. One because he had finally reclaimed the dream he so dearly desired, the other because he finally was no longer required to carry the burden of said dream and this was proof that now everything would finally go back to normal. Franky cried openly without shame, blubbering about a man's romance and lost dreams being taken back.

The moss headed man and the chef spared their cyborg a glance, looking back at each other just long enough to release a small snort of amusement before turning back to the large man "That's it, Franky," Sanji murmured striving valiantly to smother his snickers "just let it go, that's it."

Zoro merely rolled his eye though the grin he wore was playful "Let it all out big guy,"

Franky simply continued his incessant bawling, one beefy arm covering his eyes as water trickled generously down the flesh and metal cheeks "It's just so beautiful," he wailed happily "Zoro-bro is back!"

"Seriously?" said man deadpanned even as he patted Franky's arm consolingly "That's why you're crying?"

"Stop being such an insensitive jerk," Sanji snorted shooting his rival a teasing grin "It isn't a crime for Franky to be happy for you."

"There's being happy, and then there's this," Zoro shot back swallowing the chuckle that wanted so badly to leap from his throat "By the way he's crying you'd think he was the one who just got his dream back,"

"I believe Luffy said that our dreams our connected, that your dream is just as much ours as it is yours and vice versa." Sanji retorted.

"Exactly, bro," Franky sniffled calming enough to offer his own explanation "we want you to succeed and become the world's greatest swordsman but seeing you so sad and then watching as you gave up your dream, it hurt us almost as much as it hurt you. It was like we lost you and…and we couldn't…get you back!"

Franky lapsed into another round of helpless sobs, returning to his former position "Now that you've got back your swords it feels like we get our family back too," he cried "and it's just so beautiful! You're SUPER again!"

The swordsman chuckled softly, shaking his head even a blush stole across his cheeks. True they were mirroring what Luffy had said to him that day in the meadow, but to be honest Zoro had never truly considered that the rest of the crew had felt that way. Luffy was naturally emotional, and so such impassioned words were normal. However the swordsman had always just assumed the rest of his nakama didn't really care, at least that was what he told himself. It was easier to pretend that his actions hadn't hurt them, or that they weren't effected by what happened to him even though he knew that was a lie. He knew how much they cared, he just didn't like thinking about it because it made him uncomfortable.

Ever since he was a child Zoro was accustomed to being a loner, with the rare exceptions of the various people he either allowed to become somewhat close or just follow him around. The idea of having a family, people who would stick with you through thick and thin, was foreign to the man. He would rather be alone than to suffer heartbreak, which he had already dealt with far too many times, Zoro just didn't have the energy to try again only to inevitably suffer bitter disappointment.

Then came Luffy and eventually the rest of the crew. Zoro smirked softly at the memories they brought to him. They forced their way into his heart with all the grace and subtlety of a bull in a china shop. Breaking down his barriers and demanding his love and protection in a way that he couldn't ever deny. They became that family he had wished for as a child, and longed for as a young man. No longer were his night filled with suffocating loneliness and his pillow stained with the remnants of silent tears. His mornings were not dull and empty and his days devoid of warmth. Zoro was deeply loyal to his crew and he would never betray them, however now he was faced with the idea that betraying the crew doesn't always mean physically attacking or leaving them.

His features going grim, the swordsman clenched a fist as he acknowledged that he had hurt his crew by shoving them away. He was strong, yes. Strong enough to conquer his enemies, follow his dream and solve his own problems. But while his problems _could_ be solved alone, that doesn't necessarily mean they _should._ That's what family is for after all. Being there to help you pick up the pieces of your life after a particularly shattering experience, and while Zoro didn't have any blood relatives as far as he knew, he certainly had a crew that made pretty decent substitutes.

Turning back to the crying Franky, Zoro allowed himself a small grin as he once again returned to consoling the hybrid while casting a mischievous glance at his rival "If he keeps going like this, we'll have to swim our way out of here."

"Well I'm all ears if you've got any suggestions," Sanji shot back with a snicker.

"Got a hanky?"

The chef shot Zoro an incredulous glance "What are you gonna do, mop his face and blow his nose?"

"Nah, I was thinking just bind and gag him so we can carry him out of here."

Sanji busted into guffaws even as his baby den-den rang in his pocket. The chef reaching into his jacket and pulled the snail out answering the call only to be blasted by Chopper's loud frantic tones "SANJI!"

The trio exchanged bemused looks before the blond replied "Hey Chopper, I found Zoro, typical that he was asleep in the hallway."

"I wasn't asleep, I was meditating!" Zoro hissed.

Sanji merely mouthed a silent "Of course you were," before returning to the conversation that was about to take a drastic turn "so what's up?"

"What's up?!" Chopper snapped "I'll tell you what's up! While you've been having fun I'm being chased by a maniac!"

"Nami's with you?" Zoro asked innocently before yelping when a black leather shoe kicked him in the face.

"NO!" the reindeer continued "It's Rosso! I don't know what happened, one minute he was normal but then this shining phosphorescent ball came barreling down the hallway and slammed into his chest. Now he has wind powers and we're playing the scariest version of hide-and-seek, and he's it!"

All levity immediately left Zoro's features as they hardened into battle ready seriousness "He has wind powers?" he asked one silver eye widening with realization "Kaze, she somehow found Rosso and now he's a Devil Fruit User!"

"Well that stinks," Sanji growled.

"Maybe," Franky nodded slowly "but maybe not."

The duo looked at their cyborg nakama, their gaze asking a silent question that Franky was quick to answer "What I mean is," the shipwright explained "now that he's a User he can't touch the weapons he would normally use to fight which technically leaves him at a disadvantage."

Zoro and Sanji's faces cleared as revelation sunk in "And if he can't use them against us," Sanji said slowly.

"Then there's nothing stopping us from using them against him," Zoro finished.

"Yeah," Franky nodded "but how are we going to do it?"

"We need a big area, someplace that won't be difficult to move around in," Sanji threw in.

"Uh, guys?" Chopper asked.

"Yeah but not outside, it needs to be somewhere that we won't have to worry about constantly rescuing the hammers from being dropped in the ocean," Zoro nodded.

The cyborg grinned "The ship's hold," he exclaimed "That room is huge and I heard one of the Marine's say that is where they keep all the equipment for the traps they set to capture Devil Fruit users."

"Guys?" the reindeer broke in.

"Good idea," Zoro smirked "so if we can get the rest of the crew involved,"

"Which they already are," Sanji interjected as Zoro continued.

"Then we can lay a trap for him, make it impossible for him to escape."

"Yeah but what kind of trap?" Franky queried.

"Oh I think I know just the one," Zoro grinned maliciously.

"Great we've got a plan," Sanji chuckled as he clapped his hands to seemingly end the brainstorming session "but now we need to get a hold of the rest of the crew and organize the Marine crew into position in the hold."

"Fine," the swordsman shrugged "you got the snail, you get to make the calls."

"That's great," Chopper broke in "but WHAT ABOUT ME?!"

The chef chuckled before returning to their current call "Chopper, I've got a job for you to do."

"Please don't say I have to be the bait that gets him to the ship's hold."

"Yep, Sanji laughed "that's pretty much it."

"I hate you."

 **WHEW! I thought I wouldn't be able to update till next week but lookee here, I done did it!**

 **Hope you enjoyed and please REVIEW!**


	31. Chapter 31

**Seriously…just when I think I'm getting close to the end, I unwillingly prolong the course to said conclusion. At any rate, I hope you enjoy this latest installation.**

Chopper gave a silent groan as he hung up the baby Den-den. Sure, Sanji made it sound easy enough but he wasn't the one currently hiding in a closet! Speaking of which, it was time he made his exit. The reindeer shuffled as silently as he was able over to the door, reaching up to twist the nod and give a surreptitious peek out through the small crack. As far as he could tell there was no sign of Rosso anywhere, the man hadn't seen him duck into the closet during their little game of death tag, and Chopper wanted to keep it that way until he chose to make himself known. Heaving a resigned sigh, the small physician darted out from his hiding spot towards the nearest corner so to check once again if the coast was clear.

So far so good. Chopper slunk around the corner into the next hallway, his brain pumping into hyper drive as he devised the best plan with which he would lure Rosso into the ship's hold. On top of that he also needed to time it just right so that he would give everyone the time they need to set up the trap. The reindeer released a small growl of aggravation, of course this had to happen to him.

Rosso was at his mercy, and he was about to make the man pay for everything he had committed against the Straw Hats, but just as he was about to take his revenge Kaze just had to drop in and give their enemy a major power boost. Which left Chopper in somewhat of a sticky situation. Rosso was now inhabited by a wind Devil Fruit spirit, meaning he could go intangible at any time, which made hitting him that much more difficult. Not only was that a problem but the marine now had power over the very air so Chopper was unsure how to engage such an opponent.

Seeing no sign of Rosso, Chopper scrambled down the hallway his stomach churning with anxiety as he considered yet another issue that needed to be dealt with. The little doctor had one massively huge problem that unfortunately was the one thing that could make or break their plan. He had no idea where the ship's hold would be.

This galleon was so much bigger than the _Sunny_ , and the many passageways within it were quite similar to a labyrinth. The small reindeer couldn't even begin to try and gain his bearings as he was in the lower levels of the ship, meaning no windows and of course there was not even the smallest sign on the walls that would inform him of his current position. Chopper bit back the urge to sob. How was he supposed to bring Rosso to the ships hold if he didn't even know where it was? He certainly wasn't going to ask one of his crewmates. After standing up to Luffy and demanding Rosso be his to take down, Chopper didn't want to show any kind of weakness that would make his captain take back what he said. Not that Luffy would ever do that, but the fear of him doing so was enough to demand Chopper's silence on the matter of asking for help.

Running down the hall, his ears swiveling back and forth as he kept a wary ear out for any sign of Rosso, the reindeer found himself running past the door to a seemingly large room. Chopper assumed it was simply because he had run down most of the length of the hallway and had not passed any other doors, which led him to conclude that this particular cabin was much bigger than the rest. Slowing down, Chopper pursed his furry lips in careful thought before backtracking and stepping into said chamber. What he found was beyond anything he had expected, for inside the pristine white double doors lay a room almost as big as a warehouse filled with various medical and scientific equipment gleaming in the darkness.

Chopper shivered as he clopped past several gurneys, each equipped with heavy leather straps for the hands and feet. A metal tray on wheels bore a set of shiny stainless steel knives, each more horrifying than the last. However tucked away in the corner a bloody surgical bed stood in morbid silence. The reindeer gave a heavy gulp as he approached the crimson splattered area, rage second only to the utter revulsion coursing through his body as he analyzed the scene.

"Claw marks," he murmured softly to himself tracing the tattered sheet and metal.

Zoro must have been in a lot of pain to have left such deep scoring, not to mention the sheer amount of blood surrounding and staining the bed. Chopper winced as phantom screams seemed to drift through the space, screams that he remembered all too well from the two weeks he had fought so hard to keep Zoro alive. The reindeer stifled a whimper as his keen senses were suddenly overwhelmed by the scent of his friend's blood, tears welling up in his eyes as little hooves clenched. Stumbling back from the disturbing image, Chopper whirled around so that he wouldn't have to look at it any longer as he knelt down into a huddled heap.

Chopper wanted so much to cry.

Everyone else had had a chance to properly grieve everything that they had endured the past three months. Even Zoro had an emotional meltdown, not that Chopper would tell the prideful swordsman that he knew, but it didn't take much to figure out what had detained him and Luffy on the island for so long when he came back to the ship smelling like tears and sweat without even the smallest kill from their supposed hunt. Luffy also carried the same scent, meaning that Zoro's tears somehow ended up on his clothes so the physician inevitably concluded the swordsman had finally let out all the bottled emotions.

The crew had each of their own meltdowns during the two weeks that Zoro was caught between life and death. Nami worked herself to the bone until she accidentally broke her favorite pen and for some reason that was the catalyst for her to melt into a round of sobs. Usopp snapped and threw an epic tantrum resulting in him throwing his latest project overboard before giving in to the turmoil making him so on edge as he tearfully apologized to the crew. Brook stopped playing music for a solid week, and Franky blew up his workshop multiple times as he overworked himself in an effort to distract his terrified heart. One of the hardest battles was when Luffy stopped eating. It took the entire crew stepping in through one giant intervention to get him back on his feet, resulting in Luffy sobbing fat crocodile tears as he forced himself to eat all the while his crew stood by each one giving him comforting hugs.

Even Robin was not immune as she locked herself in the library, and though she did not come out on deck, if you listened closely you could hear the softest sounds of weeping through the thick wooden door. Sanji took it just as hard as their captain, refusing food, insisting that he help Chopper with caring for their nakama to the point of going multiple days without sleep. Finally by the fifth day of no food and little rest, the frazzled chef fainted in front of the stove almost spilling boiling hot broth all over himself. If it wasn't for Robin's miraculous hands catching the pot before it tipped, the blond surely would have suffered severe burns. After waking up in the arms of his crew, namely Nami, Sanji's steel resolve cracked and as he wept the man confessed his fears and sorrow for the man he viewed as a brother.

The words uttered that day were not something the crew would tease him about later, nor were they even mentioned in the weeks and months following. Everyone knew that Sanji and Zoro were close, though they fought and bickered, so did blood brothers and it only proved how much the other cared. Chopper remembered hugging Sanji, his own heart feeling like it would burst from the immeasurable amount of grief. He would never forget the image of the blond chef curled in the fetal position, held in their navigator's arms, sobbing as he begged someone, anyone, to assure him that they wouldn't lose their nakama. That they wouldn't have a death in their family. That everything would eventually return to normal and their family wouldn't be broken.

However, despite all that, chopper never once allowed himself to break. He had to be the strong one. It was his responsibility to care for Zoro and keep him alive during those two weeks, and it was his burden to not give in to his emotions because one false move could have cost their swordsman his slim chance at survival. Even after Zoro's fever broke and the man awoke from his coma Chopper continued walking on pins and needles, ensuring that he was always available for every seizure and every weak moment when Zoro's body gave out on him. In the past few months Chopper had not allowed himself the smallest reprieve so that he could vent his own emotional distress. Not that he was going to now, Rosso was still at large and Chopper still needed to herd him into the holding dock.

Taking a shuddering breath, the reindeer channeled his inner Zoro and solidified his features into a stern neutral, shoving aside his emotions so that they could be dealt with on a later date then stood so that he could survey his surroundings. The first thing he needed was blueprints or something of that sort so that he could get his bearings. Wandering over to one of the many cabinets and drawers, the reindeer dug through several before he found what appeared to be a map of the ship. A triumphant smile stretched his furry face. At least now he had a way to find the hold. But how was he to get Rosso there? What would Zoro do?

Chopper snuck another lingering glance at the bloodstained bed behind him, his brain unconsciously filling in the gaps of what had occurred based on the minute details he had observed, and once more feeling the heat of a pulsing rage tingling underneath his fur. Rosso needed to pay for what he had done to his nakama. His sadistic reign has come to an end, Chopper would make sure of it. The reindeer paused as he considered just how he could accomplish this before a malicious grin broke across his face. Maybe he could have his meltdown, but not through the conventional, albeit much healthier, sense of cleansing himself through tears. Instead he would find his release through pummeling Rosso into the deck and the first thing that would help him in doing that is the very tools that ley scattered around the lab.

Dashing across the immaculate tiles of the laboratory, Chopper shifted to heavy point as he snatched up a belt and dug inside a box for a clean pair of purple surgical gloves. The doctor then proceeded to outfit himself with a face mask and goggles before deeming himself properly protected. Chopper strode his now hulking mass over to one of the many tables, grabbing sea stone infused scalpels and slipping each of them into the many pockets along the belt. Digging through a drawer, the humanoid reindeer found prototypes of smoke bombs, but he could tell just by their scent that the smoke inside was laced with purified aerosol sea stone. Those he attached to the belt alongside the blades. Next came two large guns which were outfitted with specialty ammo designed for sedating devil fruit users using tranquilizer darts fashioned with sea stone needles. These he slung crisscross between his shoulder blades.

True these weapons wouldn't necessarily kill Rosso, but with the amount of Seastone loaded into their design, he wouldn't have the benefit of turning intangible and he would definitely be at a disadvantage. Granted Chopper could already feel the unpleasant sensation of the effect they had on him personally, but since he was wearing gloves and none of the sea stone was in direct contact with his body, Chopper would still be able to perform his part of the plan without being too debilitated.

So with a deep breath and a determined glare, Chopper stomped out of the lab dressed for battle and his mind set on success in his mission. He would bring their enemy to the ship's hold, and there with the rest of his crew they would make Rosso pay for his treachery. Now back among the endless maze of whitewashed hallways, Chopper sucked in a deep breath before issuing out his challenge, and ultimately his bait, in one raging bellow.

"ROSSO! Get ready, because I'm coming for you!"

 **Heheh, GI-Joe Chopper. He's all ready to go, now I almost want to see a picture of this LOL he would still look adorable, don't you think?**

 **At any rate, enjoy and please REVIEW!**


	32. Chapter 32

**Yeah, we all liked the image of GI Choppy. Let's go on with the show!**

Zoro ran alongside his nakama, his features closed off and his mind far away. They had just hung up with Chopper and while Zoro was happy to know that they finally had a solid plan for bringing down Rosso, he still had one persistent niggling worry.

Tora.

The swordsman's steel mask cracked for a split second as he gave a heavy swallow, his eyes narrowing as a slight pang of fear stung his heart. Tora hadn't spoken to him since he had expelled Kaze out of his body, and while Zoro was overwhelmed by a stark relief and his body no longer gave almost imperceptible warning signs of his imminent downward spiral into a seizure he couldn't help but feel concern for the tiger. Granted he knew that Tora was still alive, especially considering that he still had his feline abilities, and so that was a small token of comfort. But still, Tora had become irrevocably important to the swordsman and even though he knew they were pressed for time, he couldn't help wanting to check on the cat. Maybe…

Biting his bottom lip, the moss headed man fell into a state of meditation he usually achieved only while fighting. Of course doing so while running was proving difficult. Closing his eye, Zoro focused inward, searching for the threadlike connection bonding him to Tora. His heart sank at how weak it felt, the pulse fluttering and erratic as it ran between him and the tiger. Zoro pressed his consciousness forward, his green ethereal form floating towards the dimly luminescent circle located within his mind space. Normally the area was bright, but right now the light filtering in from the ceiling was muted, accenting Tora's current state. Within the small circle he could almost see the hulking form of the large tiger lying limp on the floor. His striped flank moved listlessly in shallow labored breaths, blood still matted the normally glossy pelt and the swordsman felt a small burst of panic sting his heart. Tora was ok, he needed to be ok.

A silver eye widened, a ball of emotion lodging in his throat as urgency to go to Tora's side forced him into a run, his phantom arms stretching out "Tora," he choked out in a desperate plea.

"Zoro"

The voice floated through his mind but the swordsman shook it off, the only thought on his mind being his tiger.

"Zoro!"

"No," the man murmured stumbling slightly his arms flailing as he regained his footing "I need to help him!"

"ZORO!"

Suddenly, just as he was ten feet away from the feline Zoro's world dissolved into a splash of bright light and color accompanied by a painful crash into something solid. The man snapped his eye open with a gasp vaguely noting a stinging from a deep abrasion on his forehead even as he struggled to pick himself up off the floor. Blinking rapidly, the man shook the cobwebs from his vision, glancing up to see the worried faces of his crewmates. Franky and Sanji wore identical looks of terrified concern and Zoro mentally berated himself for allowing his concern over Tora's welfare cause him to drift too far into meditation leading himself into this altogether undignified position.

His keen gaze switching back and forth between the frightened faces of his nakama, Zoro finally heaved a resigned sigh as he slowly picked himself up from off his feet "I'm fine," he grumbled brusquely patting down his legs.

"Of course you are," Sanji snorted, rolling baby blue eyes showing his aggravation at his friendly rival scaring him senseless once again "you just happened to look at the wall and think 'Hey, I haven't had a decent head injury yet today, let's remedy that!' Right?"

"No!" the swordsman pouted, turning his face to the side in an effort to hide his blush as he mumbled his reasoning for the accidental crash "I just wanted to check on Tora."

Franky quirked one eyebrow, his face grave as he considered the implications in Zoro's words. They had a feeling that something was wrong with the Tiger, but neither had asked Zoro knowing the man would bring the subject when, and if, he was ready. However they still felt a pinch of worry for their comrade, knowing that Tora was special to Zoro and the swordsman treasured their relationship enough to cry for the feline and even to check on him when he was already on his way to another fight. Sanji shot the robot a quick glance, one that clearly conveyed that Franky would probably have a better chance at getting an answer out of the normally mute man and the cyborg nodded his response. Clearing his throat, Franky broached the topic both he and Sanji felt concern for, but also were unsure how to address.

"Did something happen?" he murmured softly, his very tone trying to be as soothing as possible so not to cause Zoro to shut them out.

A silver eye darkened as the swordsman visibly swallowed a ball of grief "Tora," he choked out in a pained whisper "he took all of the pain from the experimentation, as well as the abuse from Kaze during the final battle. He…isn't doing so well."

"But he's alive?"

The gentle prod offering hope to the concerned swordsman elicited a mute nod, and Franky merely gave an uncharacteristically soft smile "Then he's going to be fine," the cyborg stated with a firm nod "if he's anything like you, which I'm sure he is, then he'll pull through with power to spare."

Zoro suddenly remembered that Tora had told him Devil Fruit spirits lived off their host's life energy, and renewed optimism lifted the weight that had settled on his heart. Tora would be fine. The Tiger was struggling right now, but with Kaze gone and not having to share Zoro's body with the vengeful spirit any longer Tora would surely recover much faster than he normally would. So with a small chuckle of relief and his signature grin Zoro turned to Franky and gave him a grateful nod "You're right, Tora's strong and I'm sure he's going to be fine."

"He's also stubborn, hard headed and has a self-sacrifice complex," Sanji muttered, a playful glint in his eye.

Zoro pinned the cook with a glare sharp as flint, but the blond seemed unperturbed as he merely returned it with a snarky grin "Hey, we said if he was anything like you and those are your strongest traits."

The swordsman rolled his own eye, unimpressed with his rival's sense of humor "Whatever," he eventually growled pushing past his two smiling nakama "let's just go get this battle over with, I'm starving and I want a nap."

…..

Nami and Robin stood in the ships hold, both shouting out orders to the waves of Marines scrambling to set the trap Sanji had detailed to them over the den-den mushi. The orange haired navigator smiled as she watched the men work, her heart full of relief that they had a plan to take down Rosso as well as the knowledge that Zoro was ok. Sanji had assured them that the 'moss head was still alive and extremely annoying'. Nami had merely laughed at the time, allowing the weight of worry to lift of her chest and then throw herself into the work of laying the foundation of their trap.

"It is surprising,"

The navigator was torn out of her reverie by the soft voice of the raven haired woman standing beside her "What is?"

Robin gave her signature Mona Lisa smile, the one that clearly showed that she had many secrets, none of which she was willing to divulge "Simply that we have met so many Marines, and while many despise us, there are those who are willing to help simply because their basic morality cannot reconcile the sheer injustice being wrought by their own government. One cannot help but wonder how they are changed after those experiences, and what paths they take when they emerge from those battles having proven themselves essentially as traitors."

Nami gave a solemn nod in agreement, "I can't blame them for going to such lengths to protect themselves, that's for sure."

"Hm?" Robin asked, her aquiline eyes curious as to the navigator's meaning.

"This crew under Rosso," the woman explained "they hated being under him, knowing how evil he was and went so far as to beg a pirate crew to assassinate him so that they would be released from his control without any suspicion of foul play by the government. They know that they want to fight for the good of mankind, and are trying to do so, even though they're in the ultimate no-win situation. What they do after this probably scares them, how will they keep serving the Marines after experiencing what one bad Captain is like, and can they keep serving in the Navy knowing that not everyone agrees with their ideology of being a force of good? I don't envy them at all."

The archaeologist smiled at the navigator, Nami came across as harsh and often abrasive but she had a good heart and it was moments like this that showed that kindness "It may not be all bad," Robin chuckled "look at me, I went from being the top Baroque Works agent to joining the Straw Hat Pirates and I don't regret that decision for even a moment. It was the best decision of my life."

Tears stung in the corner of Nami's eyes and the ginger couldn't help reaching over to hug Robin's arm "Yeah, well, you make a pretty great sister so I guess I'm glad you did too."

…..

"Rosso!"

Chopper marched down the hall, a sea stone gas grenade in each hoof with the mask firmly over his muzzle "Where are you hiding?!"

"Not hiding," Rosso replied causing Chopper to yelp as he whirled around to face the man casually strolling around the corner "merely waiting."

"Waiting for what?" the reindeer growled.

"For you to stop screaming," Rosso chuckled snidely "I seem to remember you calling for your captain. I wonder why he's not here though? Did he not want to save the nakama he claims to hold so dear?"

"Luffy cares about all of us!" Chopper snapped "He's not here because I didn't ask him to come, I want to take you down myself!"

"How very brave, but the effect is ruined by your tearful screams from earlier, for all your talk you really are just a coward."

Chopper grimaced at the memory. He was ashamed of that lapse in courage, especially after his bravado in front of his captain. That's why he promised himself to not call for backup. He would be the one to lead Rosso to his doom and he would personally ensure that Rosso never hurt his crew ever again. "Ok, so I freaked out," Chopper pouted stamping his foot "but I'm going to show you that even cowards can be strong!"

"Let's find out!"

"With pleasure!"

Chopper threw the smoke grenades smirking behind his mask when Rosso's face shifted from smug to fearful within a split second, the skin paling even as the sea stone dust billowed around his feet. Throwing his hands into the air with a terrified cry, Rosso summoned a whirlwind which blew away the toxic cloud making Chopper sweat drop in frustration.

"Of course," the reindeer muttered unhappily "wind powers makes the grenades useless, I should have considered that."

"Turning my own tools against me," Rosso snarled as the last of the sea stone was whisked away "you're going to pay for that,"

"Yeah," Chopper sighed but then shrugged "but I packed more than the grenades, might as well try everything!"

 **Thank goodness I somehow managed to finish this in time for this week's deadline. I know it's short but I hope you enjoyed it!**

 **REVIEW!**


	33. Chapter 33

"Get back here you little rat!"

Chopper sprinted down the hall, his hooves clutching various grenades that he had picked up from the lab. Apparently there were more than gas bombs, which the reindeer was thankful for, as they were helping him herd Rosso through the ship. The majority of those bombs were, luckily enough, an odd sort of foam made of Seastone that swelled up and hardened within the space of a minute helping Chopper to cut off different hallways. It was a handy strategy, the reindeer would pretend to aim for Rosso and throw a grenade, the man would in turn dodge and the hall behind him would be sealed off, ensuring the man could not escape much less turn in any other direction. Granted it also meant that Chopper was continually pelting through the ship his teeth grit in a determined snarl.

Jumping into the air, spinning his body into an elegant arc, Chopper threw one of the scalpels grinning when Rosso gave a pained cry. The man still did not have a hold on his new abilities, sometimes getting his way other times not which resulted in Chopper getting the occasional lucky shot in. He was no doubt getting a crash course in his wind powers judging by the screams of frustration to no one in particular though the reindeer had an idea who it was. Zoro had told them about Kaze, and the crew had all agreed that the wind spirit was trouble which was now painfully obvious considering she had allied herself with their worst enemy, however it still made a rather comical scene with the man occasionally flinging curses into the air all the while stomping his feet.

"I'm trying!" Rosso spat flinging his arms around himself "But you shrieking in my head every other second is not helping me!"

Chopper planted his hooves down onto the floor, skidding to a stop, a furry smirk decorating his mouth "Better be careful Rosso," the reindeer snickered "if you aren't careful people will think you're crazy, what with you yelling at the walls."

"What?!" Rosso whirled around one eye twitching accenting his cry of rage "I'm not crazy, surely you understand, but how do you stand the constant yammering in your head?!"

"I don't exactly deal with that," Chopper shrugged "honestly I think it's just proof you've finally snapped."

Rosso gnashed his teeth together, snarling out his reply "Your impudence will be the end of you, I'll see to that myself."

"Go ahead and try it," the small physician growled back "at least I'm not the one talking to the voices in my head."

"Petulant whelp!"

Rosso charged forward, once again igniting the chase. Chopper turned on his heel, sprinting down the hallway, taking a sharp right in the direction he hoped was the ship's hold. Navigator he was not, but after years of memorizing countless volumes on human anatomy, Chopper had developed a system to commit diagrams to memory, he could only pray he was correct as he followed the map within his mind's eye. The reindeer pushed for another burst of speed, noting how the muscles in his legs already burned with exhaustion and his rib cage felt tight pinching his lungs. Closing his eyes for just a millisecond Chopper gathered his strength to continue, then shoved that determination into his quivering limbs. He would make, he had to! Just one more turn and he should be in front of the hall leading down to the ship's hold!

A desperate cry wrenched itself from the deepest reaches of the doctor's innermost being, a primal keen that echoed from the dawn of time passed down through the DNA of prey as they made that one life or death dash keeping them from the teeth of their enemy. With a final twist past another intersection Chopper's heart gave a triumphant leap. For there, standing before him was the door labeled Ship's Hold.

The reindeer slammed hard against the metal, his hooves scrabbling to turn the latch even as his keen brown gaze saw Rosso drawing ever closer. Finally with a groan and a rasp, the heavy handle turned allowing Chopper to fall across the threshold. Picking himself up from off the floor, the small animal scrambled to his feet shifting to Horn Point so to have the advantage of four legs to run on. He was exhausted, past his physical limit as far as running but the doctor had no intention of letting Rosso escape much less surviving the next two hours.

"I hope you guys are ready," Chopper gasped softly to himself "because he's coming now!"

Large steel crates lined the walls and crowded into the room, creating a labyrinth before the youngest Straw Hat. Chopper allowed himself two breaths before plunging into the vast hold, hoping that luck was on his side and he would lead Rosso into the trap his crew had devised. Turning abruptly down another path, the reindeer slid across the metal panels beneath him, his feet struggling to find purchase. However the speed built from his momentum caused the small animal to tumble, rolling across the floor and hitting a crate.

Chopper groaned as he stood back on trembling legs, his chest heaving as he panted for air. He needed to get out of here, and fast! Spinning on his heels the reindeer prepared to continue his desperate flight, but as he whirled towards his destination he came face to face with Rosso.

"Caught you," he stated in a snarled whisper.

Chopper's eyes widened as his heart lurched in fear, but before Rosso could lunge at him the Straw Hat had already grabbed two grenades, both loaded with sea stone smoke. Instead of aiming them at his opponent however, Chopper threw them on the ground, clenching his eyes shut as they exploded beneath his feet.

Rosso let out a startled yelp as smoke filled the space, lifting his arms so to not breathe in the smoke as he knew all too well its effects on Devil Fruit users. He had designed himself, and labored over creating a formula that would incapacitate his prey, but never had the man considered that the roles would be reversed.

' **You idiot!'** Kaze hissed in his mind's ear **'Use your power to simply blow the smoke away, how many times must I remind you?!'**

"Shut up, witch!" Rosso snapped "I am quite capable of handling myself, I don't need your wretched screeching distracting me from the matter at hand!"

' **Of all the hosts I could have chosen, I landed in you,'** the feminine voice moaned, her every syllable dripping in disdain **'I almost prefer the green haired idiot to you even in spite of our…shared interests.'**

"Oh do be quiet, woman!" Rosso groaned.

' **Fine,'** Kaze sneered **'but if you bungle this, then I will take matters into my own hands!'**

"Not to worry, you disreputable creature, I won't."

Rosso flung his arms wide, smiling in satisfaction as his powers obeyed his whim and blew away any trace of the smoke. Unfortunately his quarry was not to be found, no doubt using the smoke and his momentary lapse in concentration as a prime opportunity to escape. Rosso snorted in derision, he would find that nuisance and then make the animal regret ever coming to face him alone.

Striding forward, Rosso smirked "Oh little Straw Hat," he crooned "come out, come out wherever you are. You show such bravado when issuing your challenge, but then you run and hide, hardly a show of honor!"

Chopper grit his teeth from where he hid behind a large stack of boxes. He was not cowering in fear, but allowing himself time and room to breathe as well as to plan. The reindeer drew in a comforting lungful of air, feeling the oxygen touch every limb and filling every muscle. Brown eyes glowing with determined conviction Chopper hugged himself, remembering just what and for whom he was doing this for.

Zoro had laid his life on the line for the crew more times than they had the heart to count. Too many moments, grim seconds overflowing into hours filled with frantic panic as Chopper fought to keep Zoro among the living, were engraved on the sensitive flesh of the doctor's heart. Too many nights spent worrying as tiny hooves dabbed a cloth over the fevered brow of the man who had put his body between his crew and agonizing torment, and far too many days that featured a concerned crew subtly watching over their resident swordsman as he once again shrugged off another nearly fatal encounter.

So many memories stained with the blood of his green haired nakama, and each one accompanied by a story that told of endless valor, loyalty and strength. Well, Chopper thought to himself, it was about time that they begin to pay Zoro back for every sacrifice he's made for the crew. Starting today.

Bursting from his hiding spot, Chopper threw another foam grenade, angling its descent to land just behind Rosso. The scientist yelped as it burst, throwing himself to the ground so to avoid its cement like grip. Chopper merely laughed "I have more honor than you think," the reindeer snarled sticking his tongue out "more honor at least than a psycho like you!"

"What," Rosso snapped his pale hands clenching into fists "did you call me?!"

"Psycho!"

With that last reply, Chopper whirled around and pounded down the path ahead. After taking those few minutes to catch his breath Chopper found he was able to think more clearly without his senses being clouded by the haze of fear and doubt. He was on the right track, of that he was certain, he could smell his nakama just up ahead and the bitter metallic tang of the sea stone trap they were going to spring on Rosso. Just a little further…!

"GOTCHA!"

Chopper released a startled animalistic keening wail as sharp nails pierced his hide and the uncomfortable weight of his enemy surrounding him falling onto his back. The duo tumbled to the ground, rolling and sliding into a large circular enclosure as Rosso dug his fingers into the soft fur of the Straw Hat doctor. Their bodies finally ceased their momentum, coming to rest in the middle of the empty space leaving the duo wrestling on the ground. Chopper kicked and writhed, struggling to get Rosso off of him but the scientist hung on with his new inhuman strength. The reindeer struggled to regain his footing in hopes of sinking a hoof into the scientist's face, but the man refused to allow his captive any shred of hope.

"No!" the reindeer screamed, increasing his wriggling to aid in his escape "I won't let you win!"

"Oh, but I've already won," Rosso chuckled darkly even as he felt warm blood begin to seep around his nails and stain his fingers crimson "you just refuse to acknowledge my victory, instead you insist on living in this grand delusion where you avenge your nakama and walk off this ship as a happy family. Such a stupid little thing, I'm surprised anyone would trust you with their life as a doctor."

A feral snarl wrenched itself from Chopper's throat as primal strength surged through his body. Shifting to Kung Fu Point, the animal released himself from Rosso's hold, effectively kicking him across the space "You monster," Chopper panted, vapor rising from every labored breath "you act like you know so much but all you're capable of is spewing hatred and evil! If you think you're capable of greatness then why don't you devote your power to helping people instead of causing death and pain everywhere you go?!"

"Nice little speech," Rosso spat back "but it kind of loses its credibility when it's being given by a pirate! What would a pirate know of helping others? You loot, pillage and destroy. Stealing whatever you want and never paying heed to the smoking ruins you leave in your wake, tell me creature, what do YOU know of kindness?!"

"More than you think," Chopper growled shooting forward and swinging a mighty punch that made a solid connection with Rosso's jaw before unleashing a literal barrage of punches and kicks, each accenting his words as they flowed from his mouth in a righteous fury "I've seen Marines that caused more pain than any pirate I've ever met. I've seen the World Government take entire kingdoms and wring them dry, devouring all their riches and stealing their lands. I've seen admirals who stomped on those they considered lesser than themselves, and not even regret their actions."

Finally the reindeer ceased his attack, standing still, his body quivering as he struggled to stay upright "And don't even get me started on the celestial dragons," Chopper rasped ending his tirade on almost a whisper "you can act all self-righteous as much as you want, but regardless of who you are or what place you hold in society, the END NEVER JUSTIFIES THE MEANS! If you must stoop to become what you hate by acting like a murderous psycho, then all that means is that you have become a murderous psycho! Actions speak louder than words Rosso, and your claims to stand for the good of mankind lose their credibility when they're declared by a man whose hands are stained with the blood of innocents!"

Rosso's fists clenched into ever tighter balls, blood leaking from between the cracks as he sent a deranged snarl towards his opponent "Don't you dare lecture me you little rodent," he screeched "you have no idea what powers you're messing with!"

"So you say," Chopper shrugged as he glared at the man with fiery brown eyes "but all I see is a washed up scientist who drowned in his delusions of grandeur. You're nothing but a pathetic piece of garbage, I don't know why I ever feared you!"

Rosso screamed his rage at the confident words spoken by his enemy, stomping his foot and gnashing his teeth "Then how about I refresh your memory?!"

Chopper merely smirked, unfazed by the man's drama "Next time," he replied curtly "guys, NOW!"

"What?"

Rosso whirled around just in time to see his crew and the Straw Hats work together to release large Sea stone nets on the edges of the enclosure, effectively trapping him within a circular cage. The final net released from the ceiling with a flourish, landing on top of the trap looking much like a circus tent made out of metallic net. He was trapped. Caught like a bug in a bottle, and never before had the scientist ever truly detested that feeling as he did now. He was the hunter, they were the prey, so why was his crew aiding them in this treachery?

"MUTINY!" he screamed "How dare you?! I'll see you all hang!"

"Maybe," a low silky baritone rumbled directly behind him "if you don't hang first that is."

Rosso spun around, his jaw dropping as his features paled to ghostly proportions. For there standing before him with his signature grin and bloodlust shining in his molten silver gaze was none other than Roronoa Zoro.

The green haired swordsman gave a malicious chuckle at Rosso's obvious terror, leaning forward till their noses almost touched, and merely whispered "BOO!"

 **We actually made headway! SO SORRY it took so long to update!**

 **Please REVIEW!**


	34. Chapter 34

**I'm so happy we're nearing the end. I've enjoyed writing this story and I hope you have all enjoyed reading it!**

"You!" Rosso gasped, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water.

"Yeah, it's me," Zoro spat his mouth a sneer of malicious glee "at first I thought about just getting off this pitiful rig but then I found my crew and they told me one big coup was going down and I'm never one to turn down a party."

The Marine Captain scoffed "Pirates, always so disgusting in their lust for senseless violence."

"That's funny coming from a guy who gets his kicks slicing people open when they're helplessly tied to a table," Zoro snarled invading Rosso's personal space yet again "the kind of scum bag who does that doesn't have the right to make judgments on others."

The scientist paused, taking in the rage burning behind the silver eye of his former captive before a smile slowly spread underneath his black mustache "I see," he murmured softly "well, that's encouraging."

"What is?" The already furrowed brow deepened as the swordsman pressed for an answer "What do you find so encouraging about your current situation?"

"That even though I may have been betrayed and am supposedly at the mercy of my enemy, it's nice to know that I will live on in your nightmares," Rosso chuckled "because behind all that masculinity I see a raw fear and I'm quite pleased to know I caused that."

The silver eye widened before Zoro released a primal roar. With the flick of a wrist the swordsman backhanded Rosso straight across the face, sending his enemy flying as his shoulders heaved from pulling in labored breaths "Normally I'd at least punch a man who insults me to my face, worst case I'd cut him a scar to remember me by, but considering my right arm is still broken and you lack the honor to be treated as a man, I'll settle for this."

Rosso slowly picked himself up off the floor, using the back of his right hand to wipe off the blood trickling from his bottom lip "You disgusting piece of filth," the scientist hissed "I hope the memory of our time together haunts your dreams for the rest of your life."

"See that's what I find so insulting," Zoro growled as he rolled his eye, striding forward so he could give a roundhouse kick right into the man's nose "is you thinking that I would ever find someone as pathetic as you frightening."

"Hey," Sanji called from the sidelines "that was a halfway decent kick, I'm impressed."

"What?" the swordsman yelled back over his shoulder "you think I've been fighting you blind all these years? I'm capable of learning a thing or two."

"Apparently," the blond chorused in agreement "just don't think you can take my job as the cook, because even you aren't that talented."

"Extremely unlikely," Zoro snickered "now will you shut up?! I'm workin' here!"

"Yes dear,"

Zoro couldn't help the chuckle that bubbled up in his chest, especially after he heard the shout of laughter from their resident sniper. It was good to be joking around with his crew again, and now that he had his blades back he was one step closer to keeping the promise he made to Chopper and everyone else that he would get this mess sorted out. Speaking of which, the deranged scientist was once again getting back onto his feet.

"You talk about how I have insulted you," Rosso muttered his features a mask of indignant affront "but yet you still refuse to actually bring out your blades. A broken arm is one thing, but that still leaves you with two swords at your disposal. Tell me Roronoa, why do you hesitate to kill someone you claim not to fear?"

"I don't use my blades not because I fear you," the swordsman murmured his eye gleaming with bloodlust "I don't use them because I don't want to give them the taste of the blood from someone as low as you."

"Hey!" Luffy shouted.

A small grin burst across the green haired man's face as he gave a one armed shrug "Plus my crew really wants to vent several weeks' worth of stress on you and it would be rude to kill you before they get a piece of the pie."

"Appreciated," Nami laughed.

"Yeah, SUPER thanks for thinking of us!" Franky echoed.

Rosso gave an incredulous snort his lips curling at the familial banter going between the Straw Hats "That's hardly a reason, I think you're bluffing."

"And I think you're scum," Zoro grinned "but unfortunately for you only one of us is right."

With that being said Zoro cocked his fist and swung it around yet again, rendering the man immobile on the floor. The Marine groaned, casting wild eyes to the tops of the steel crates where his subordinates stood shoulder to shoulder with the pirates "Don't just stand there you dogs! Defend your captain!"

"I think not," a voice called out from the crowd, drawing Rosso's gaze to fall on a single figure ducking under the nets and then walking in confident strides towards the fallen Navy officer "we've had enough of your tyranny and we've certainly had enough of seeing our friends and brothers die at your hands all for your sadistic dream."

"Biggles," Rosso growled "of course you'd be behind this betrayal."

The man merely shrugged "I'm not the one who thought of it, I just played my part but I can assure you that you are well and truly alone because no one even tried to defend your sorry carcass. We all want you dead."

"Your reputation will be ruined, you'll have nowhere to go and live as fugitives of the law. Is that really what you want?"

"That's the funny part though," Biggles stated in casual nonchalance "if you're dead there will be no one to refute that pirates attacked our ship to retrieve their captured comrade. Oh we'll give them a tearful song and dance about how our Captain gave his life defending our flag but in the end he was unable to survive the siege. And the best part? You've killed enough of our own men for your sick experiments that we have enough bodies to make it look like we actually went through a battle, so no, the government won't hunt us down on the charges of mutiny. We'll be honorably discharged, and we might even get a medal of valor."

"Petulant whelp!" Rosso jerked forward rushing the Marine but was immediately stopped by the rubbery fist of one Captain of the Straw Hat pirates, his skin steaming from Second Gear as he had darted under the net held by Franky to join in the fun.

Luffy's fist sank deep into Rosso's abdomen, the captain giving a malicious grin as he twisted it feeling the crunch of ribs beneath his knuckles "Where do you think you're going," the boy asked solemnly "didn't you want to play?"

"N-No," Rosso gibbered his gaze darting back and forth as more and more pirates crowded underneath the net "Stay back! I'm warning you! I have power!"

"Like what?!" Zoro sneered "I haven't seen any trace of your power since we lowered the net!"

"I have that wind witch inside of me now," the scientist shrieked "I have power over the air itself!"

"Prove it," Nami scoffed twirling her Climatact threateningly.

Rosso snarled bringing his clenched fists up to his face before pushing them out in a dramatic sweep, however nothing happened. The man gave a strangled squeak, once again repeating the action but finding the same results "What's wrong?! Where's my power?!"

' **I told you ingrate, that if you bungled this I would do things my way. Well, I don't need you and to be honest I'd rather let you die and my spirit be set free back into the outside world."**

"No!" the man screamed "You need me! You can't survive without a host!"

' **A host is easily found, I just have to find one out of the dozens standing around here and then I'll take my revenge of Tora and his pitiful cub! So die you cretin, I'm sick of listening to your shrill whining!'**

"You MISERABLE WITCH!" Rosso screeched.

"Who is he talking to?" Luffy asked, his head tilting to the side.

"Who knows," Zoro scoffed "I think he's just cracked."

"Definitely," Robin agreed with her dark smile "maybe we ought to help him?"

"Yeah," Chopper chuckled "some intense physical therapy might do the trick."

"Well then, please," Sanji grinned giving a flourished bow from the waist "professionals first."

Reaching down with a determined glare, the reindeer shifted to Heavy Point and then unleashed a savage punch. The smack echoed throughout the hold, accentuated by the blood spray shooting out of Rosso's nose in an arc as his head rocked back "You will never harm," the doctor grunted each word accompanied by another thunderous strike "another soul ever again. My promise to God!"

Finally chopper stood, his chest heaving as he caught his breath and then stepped back so to allow everyone else their share. As one the crew moved in, each wearing demonic smiles and their eyes narrow with deadly intent. Rosso whimpered as his executioners drew near, until he could no longer hold back the terrified screams.

The next few minutes passed swiftly as the crew vented all their emotions built up over the past few months. Zoro merely stood back, watching his nakama with a fond smile. It wasn't much, just enough for each member of the crew to haul off with one or two decent punches. They weren't the type to be intentionally cruel, however this man had overstepped certain boundaries. He crossed lines no one had ever crossed before, forcing the Straw Hat pirates into a state of crisis they had never dared dream much less consider. The stress, pain and tears each had endured at this man's sadistic whims were finally being brought to justice and all wanted him to feel the ire behind the emotional agony he put them through.

In truth, the swordsman was happy with the few shots he got in, and he considered the fact that he threw Kaze out and mastered pushing a devil fruit spirit out to be a particularly big achievement. Right now was just for his family, as they had been through an awful lot since this whole mess got started. Rosso's cries of pain and occasional yell were music to the swordsman's ears, and Zoro couldn't help but chuckle at his crew's over-protectiveness that they held for each other.

Eventually the beating came to a halt as Luffy called out for his nakama to stop. The figures grew still, feet shuffling as they parted to allow their Captain to pass through, an object held tightly in his rubbery fist.

"Rosso," the young man barked his face dark and his voice firm with authority "you kidnapped my nakama, and then you almost killed him by taking away his dream. I can't forgive you, because you not only hurt him but you hurt his crew and me. Death isn't good enough for scum like you, so instead of killing you I'm going to do something else."

Kneeling down to eye level with the broken battered man, Luffy held out his hand shoving the object underneath Rosso's nose "Either you can be thrown into the ocean or you can eat this, your choice."

The scientist felt his stomach drop as his face paled. A devil fruit. Straw Hat Luffy wanted him to eat a second devil fruit. "No," Rosso moaned "I refuse, so you might as well kill me."

Luffy's eyes narrowed "Too bad,"

With a small nod from their captain, the group moved as Franky grabbed Rosso roughly, making the man yelp "Wait!"

"What?" Luffy sneered.

"I choose the fruit," Rosso stammered his teeth grit in determination "technically I haven't eaten a fruit already and if the idiot over there can survive eating two, then a superior mind such as mine is more than capable of such a feat."

Luffy gave a careless shrug before tossing the fruit to Sanji. The blond pirate sliced the fruit, cutting out a small wedge, as Luffy commanded "Open your mouth,"

Rosso complied, however his gaze promised death and worse for the treachery being wrought against him. Luffy leaned in, taking the seemingly innocent bit of fruit and shoved it into the man's mouth.

Rosso lay on the cold metal floor, his features a mask of fear and nausea as he felt the fruit move down his gullet and into his stomach. At first nothing happened causing the scientist to send a triumphant grin up at the surrounding pirates, "I win," he cackled his eyes alight in his supposed victory "don't you see?! I'm superior in every way, I've attained the power of deities, I'm-!"

Suddenly the pain hit like the sea train, making the man curl into a ball with a pained scream. A harsh convulsion rocked his frame making blood fleck his lips as desperate fingers clawed at his chest. Rosso twisted back and forth, his voice wailing in the agony now rendering him helpless before slowly turning wide eyes to the first mate, a small whimper whispered between quivering lips.

"I'm doomed,"

Zoro only snarled down at the man "Quite possibly," he murmured before he reiterated the words spoken to him in a similar cell so long ago "but this is a test of survival, you aren't meant to stay alive."

 **Don't worry, I'll write more chapters! It isn't completely done yet!**

 **Now…REVIEW!**


	35. Chapter 35

**First of all I apologize for the horrendously long wait for this update, life kind of went crazy as my friend CardboardHut can attest (she has a fabulous Zoro series right now, I certainly recommend you check out her Odyssey series) and I literally only just got to my computer.**

 **I hope you enjoy as we come ever closer to the end!**

Rosso rolled around on the floor, his body caught in one endless spasm of agony, while both Marine and Pirate alike looked on. Zoro clenched and unclenched his fists, unable to tear his eyes away, memories of that fateful day when he himself was forced to endure the ripping pain of consuming two devil fruit flashing before his eyes like a horror film. Part of him felt remorse, it was never part of the Straw Hat way to condemn someone to death. For all of Luffy's power, the kid never intentionally killed anyone. Put them into a coma sure, beat them senseless and require months of hospitalized recovery time definitely, but he had never consciously condemned any of his enemies to their demise. Thus Zoro felt responsible for Luffy taking this very definitive step, a decision for which he'll never be able to take back.

However, memories of the emotional toll this man's twisted machinations had taken on his crew wafted through his subconscious reminding Zoro that this was not their typical foe. This man had crossed lines no other opponent ever had, and he had successfully offended each Straw Hat on a very personal level. Heaving a sigh, Zoro shook his head, resigning himself with a firm determination that this was best.

" **No!"**

The sudden, and altogether familiar, roar broke through Zoro's thoughts making the man jolt to attention _'Tora?!'_ he asked silently in a desperate plea _'Is that you?!'_

" **Yes kitten, it's me,"**

The swordsman cast his gaze upward, drawing a deep breath in through his nose so to control the rush of elated relief making his sinuses sting and his eyes prickle with hot liquid. After a moment, the man had gathered himself maintaining his stony façade, refusing anyone on the outside evidence as to his current emotional state. _'I was worried,'_ Zoro choked out to the big cat _'you weren't moving, I thought…'_

" **I know, kitten, I know,"** Tora responded with a pleased purr and a soothing chuff **"however now is not the time! Release me!**

' _You know I can't do that!'_ Zoro shouted allowing his mask to slip just for a moment as he grit his teeth and clenched a fist _'In your condition you wouldn't survive in the outside longer than five minutes, you could die!'_

" **I know, but if Rosso dies now then Kaze will have complete control over his body, keeping it as her own, then we'll never stop her evil!"**

Zoro released a silent scoff ' _Right, and pigs fly. How do you even know that will happen, I thought you didn't know anything about awakened spirits?'_

" **Don't ask me how I know, I cannot explain it,"** Tora roared **"but somehow the knowledge came to me that when a Devil Fruit spirit is awakened when the host dies they gain the ability to either regenerate as a new fruit or take their user's body to do as they will!"**

' _How is that even possible, and why haven't we seen evidence of things like that happening before?'_

Tora rolled his eyes, releasing an impatient growl **"I've told you, awakening your Devil Fruit is rare! Not many are capable of doing so!"**

Zoro pursed his lips considering the tiger's warning before a sudden thought caused his heart to freeze _'But if an awakened Devil fruit spirit can effectively reanimate a corpse and gain a chance at physical life, then that means…'_

" **Yes kitten, Kaze will have the full power and authority of a Marine Captain, as well as her wind powers. If we don't stop her now, Rosso will be her ticket to an even greater level of sadistic malice than we've ever seen."**

The swordsman's eye widened, dread creeping into his heart as he processed Tora's words _'Fine,'_ he grunted, albeit unhappily ' _but I still don't know how releasing you into the outside will stop her from doing that.'_

" **Don't worry kitten, I have a plan,"**

' _Is this an I've-got-it-under-control plan? Or an I'm-going-to-do-something-possibly-reckless-and-extremely-stupid-while-endangering-my-existence plan?'_

"… **Uh…"**

' _Never mind…'_

" **At any rate, I need you to lower the net."**

' _What?! Why?!'_

" **Just do it! If it stays up then I will be further weakened and unable to hold my corporeal form, I need every advantage I can get!"**

"Right," the moss headed man murmured before turning to face the Marine crew "Lower the net!"

"What? Why?!" Nami echoed his earlier sentiment making Zoro snort.

"Because Kaze is planning something, and Tora thinks he knows what it is! Just lower the net so that he can do what he need to!"

Nami opened and closed her mouth before giving a disbelieving sigh and a shrug "Whatever you say. Sanji, get that net down!"

"Of course my angel!" The blond danced away leaving the navigator staring at their swordsman with her hands on her hips.

"Ok," she barked "now what, genius?"

"Now I get to introduce you to a friend."

Doubling over, Zoro wrapped his arms around himself, concentrating as he pulled from deep within the tiger spirit allowing it entrance into his world. An incredibly bright speck shone from his stomach, and slowly it grew in size going from a dot to a swirling silver vortex roughly the size of the man's fist. The swordsman slowly straightened, aware that suddenly everyone now had their eyes on him, this did not faze him though as he pulled his muscular arms away from his abdomen and straightened them out to form almost a physical gate.

Nami and Usopp watched this take place with wide eyes, the two nakama mesmerized by the swirling portal that inexplicably formed itself from within their nakama. The shining hole kicked up a strange gale, making the sea stone net flutter as it fell to the ground and Luffy jumped to clutch his hat in an effort not to lose it. "What," Nami gasped, a suntanned hand rushing to her face to protect her eyes from her now windswept hair "what's going on?!"

Usopp shook his head, "I have no idea!"

"Well you're a lot of help!" Nami scoffed in amusement.

The Sniper merely gave a helpless shrug, his cobalt eyes sparkling with mischief "I do what I can, and answering your question is just something I can't do."

"Regardless, I think we're about to find out!" Nami laughed, her chocolate gaze lit up in obvious excitement from the odd occurrence.

The silvery portal was now the size of a basketball, taking up much of the green haired man's torso when the enraptured audience caught sight of a tiger padding its way from deep within the vortex before leaping out into the small enclosure, his fluffy ears flicking back as he bared his teeth in snarl his tongue curling inside a strong jaw testing the air. The large feline was battle scarred, a bloody gash permanently closing his right eye, while his normally glossy fur was matted with crimson stains covering the muscular frame. Tora radiated elegance, the striped head held high displaying a noble brow, and yet undeniable power crackled with every footstep. The navigator found her jaw dropping in awe at the immense tiger, his sheer muscular bulk easily dwarfing Zoro in size, making the man appear very much like the kitten Tora referred him to be.

Speaking of which, Zoro was leaning against the orange and black hide, his eye closed contentment written across his features as the swordsman breathed in deep draws of Tora's scent, memorizing the feel and texture of the feline's fur. Tora released a rumbling chuckle, twisting his head around to give a fond lick to his adopted cub's forehead, briefly grooming the tangled green moss.

"Kitten," Tora murmured softly "my time here is limited,"

"I understand that," Zoro pouted, leaning back but not truly releasing the tiger from his grasp "but can't I just be relieved that you're alive?"

Sharp teeth glinted in the dim light "Of course, but if I wait much longer then Rosso will be dead and I'll have wasted valuable napping time for nothing."

Zoro snorted, but relinquished his hold "Fine," he smirked.

Granting his cub one last lick, snickering at the annoyed look on the swordsman's face from the blatant display of affection Tora turned towards Rosso, who was still miraculously hanging onto life by a thread. "Kaze," the tiger growled, his voice like the roll of distant thunder "release that man and speak to me, face to face."

The previously writhing man suddenly froze, his body achieving a macabre stillness that sent snakes of discomfort roiling in the stomach of all who watched. Before another burst of light exploded from Rosso's body, a female spirit twisting up into the air, her hair and clothes merely tendrils of smoke as she glared at the feline.

"Tora," she hissed "of course you would try an attempt at stopping me from achieving my ultimate victory."

The tiger released a derisive snort "I'm rather impressed you came out to talk, I honestly thought you wouldn't release him, what with the user being so close to death."

"Ha!" Kaze barked, her eyes glinting in victory "true, I could have stuck around and taken over his body however he currently has a spirit inside of him that I'm not too fond of. Due to that spirit being un-awakened, if I were to reanimate him, then then it would be forced to stay, and that's not something I want."

"Yes, sharing never was your strong point," Tora chuffed "so then, Kaze, what is your plan?"

The wind spirit raised an eyebrow, her face growing neutral as she assessed her opponent "My plans? I'm confused, weren't you planning on tearing me limb from limb, and ensuring I never regenerate ever again?"

"It's still very much an option," Tora snarled reminding her of his strength with bared teeth and a swipe of razor sharp claws "however if you're willing to not cause trouble, I'm willing to give you a second chance."

Kaze scoffed, her lips twisting into a sneer "You're nothing if not lazy, Tora," she muttered before giving a shrug "I can make no promises. I very well intend on taking out my revenge on your brat, so if it means that I sink back into this miserable piece of meat and allow myself to regenerate as a fruit then so be it. It is not so hard to take command of lesser minds, it will be child's play what with my new awakened status to convince whatever new user I gain that they have a burning desire to see Roronoa Zoro's head on a silver platter."

Tora hissed at the wind spirit, his hackles rising even as he felt his paws tremble as his legs warned him that they were about to give way. The tiger sighed, he wasn't strong enough to take her on, and though his kitten was strong, judging by the state of his still broken arm not to mention the bloody gashes and welts covering his body, neither was he. There was a possibility the Luffy could stand against her, but even then she had the upper hand of entering another devil fruit user's body and killing them slowly. She could easily execute over half of the straw hat pirates, including their precious captain, or even worse take over his body and use it for her own machinations. The thought was too horrible to consider and Tora found himself snarling in frustration. What was he to do?

Then another thought came to him, a dim memory of a distant time almost completely forgotten.

Once long ago he had a user who was something of a scholar, and the lad had read books on ancient devil fruit users. Apparently in the time before the erased history, the devil fruit had greater powers and even were able to communicate not only with their users but with each other. Tora furrowed his brow, though such ability had been lost to the world until now, he was almost sure that he could place some of his own energy into the surrounding Straw Hat Devil fruit users, and summon their own spirits forth. It was worth a shot.

Gathering the last of his strength, Tora threw back his head and gave a mighty roar that shook every corner of the battleship. The feral cry reverberated from one end to the other, causing all the humans within to cover their ears in sharp cries of pain. The tiger allowed his roaring call to continue, drawing it out even as he thrust his own energy out to touch the souls of the Straw Hat pirates. He could feel them, individual spirits, all incredibly strong and all prepared to leap to his defense.

In perfect synchronization, the ships hold was bathed in yet a third explosion of light. A spirit leaping out of the Straw Hat Devil Fruit users, and appearing to stand next to their chosen master. Tora panted with exhaustion, sitting down on his powerful haunches, his shoulders pumping as he fought to draw air into burning lungs.

"At last," the tiger chuffed "let the Devil Fruit tribunal begin, here we will decide your fate Kaze, for it is here you will face your fellow spirits for your immeasurable crimes against this world."

 **Once again I'm so sorry for the late update, our truck motor blew out and it's going to take almost $4,000 to fix it so I've been helping my mom make gourmet candy like crazy to sell so that we can afford the part. Needless to say I haven't had much time for writing.**

 **Please REVIEW!**


	36. Chapter 36

**Once again I'm sorry my friends for the extended wait. It was not my desire to put this off, but let's just say luck has not been on my side this past year.**

 **The truck repairs are almost paid off. After pulling a week and a half of 9am-1am work days making/selling candy, we only have a little over $1,000 left to pay. Here's hoping it comes quickly.**

 **Last we saw, the spirits of the Straw Hats were now present in the real world and a tribunal is about to take place so to pass Kaze's sentence!**

Zoro's eye could have popped out of his head it was so wide. The man gaped as he slowly turned in a small circle, drinking in the sight surrounding him. The Devil Fruit spirits of each of his nakama were standing proudly beside their masters, each a personification of the power they held.

"My," a breathy voice murmured, her very resonance similar to tinkling bells "that was quite a rush, so this is what it's like outside."

Brook whirled around to face his Spirit, only gasp in shock as his nose spurted rivulets of blood, Sanji fainting behind him with soft besotted coos. His Spirit very much resembled an angel. With velvety white wings, and gossamer blonde hair she was clad in silver armor laid over a shimmering ivory dress. She held no weapon, but only clutched a shield, it's huge size capable of defending her from any attack. Blue eyes flashed down to her user and she gave a dainty curtsy.

"It is a pleasure to meet you Brook, I am the Spirit who gave you a second chance at life when yours had already expired."

"My lady," the skeleton reverently knelt to one knee, a bony hand covering his heart (that is, if he had one YOHOHOHOHOHO!) his features serious as the grave "you have done so much for me, but I have but one request…"

The stunning face grimaced, a resigned sigh huffing from between ruby lips before suddenly the skirt lifted only to be presented by a high heeled foot bearing down so to land a cracking blow on the bowed afro "Don't you even try it," she hissed, "do you know how many times I've wanted to stop you from asking that ridiculous question? TOO MANY!"

"Forgive me," Brook whimpered on the floor.

"Oh don't worry, I will," the ethereal Spirit sneered, "after I get payback for all the times I regretted you as a User!"

"Sheesh, what a harpy," Zoro winced.

"It seems that Brook-san is getting his comeuppance," Robin chuckled softly.

"Agreed," a throaty female voice echoed behind her causing the Archaeologist to face her spirit with a smile.

"Greetings, it is fascinating to have a face to the name,"

Robin's spirit was a woman richly decorated in strings of gold beads and chains, jewels hung from every earlobe, finger and draped from her neck. A lavishly embroidered wrap covered her chest, leaving the midriff bare while luxurious silk harem pants covered her legs. Bells and chimes tinkled from around her ankles, but the most fascinating thing were her arms. Accented by skin the color of the sky, they shimmered much like a mirage. One moment she had four arms, the next ten, the number never stayed the same and was subject to change at any given moment. However her eyes, currently gentle obsidian, held within their depths a hidden thunderstorm; a temper that flashed like lightening when provoked and twice as destructive.

"It is a pleasure Robin," the woman inclined her head ever so slightly, numerous earrings jingling as she did so "from the moment of consumption I sensed in you an old wise soul capable of great things."

"Aw, come on!" another voice, male this time, blurted out in aggrieved tones "when is anyone gonna talk to me, like a MAN?!"

Chopper slowly turned, his body trembling in fear as he took in the sight of his Spirit.

The man, for man it was, sat in a pondering pose almost as if modeling for a painting or a sculpture, his lips jutted out in only the barest of pouts as his impressive muscular form was on display for all to see. In fact, the Spirit was buck naked. Red hair topped a freckled face that was braced on one fist held up by his knee, and deep brown eyes met those of his user.

"Hello," the Spirit said brightly.

"Hi," Chopper murmured back, his gaze wide as he assessed the being before him "you're really my Spirit?"

"Definitely, bro," The Spirit laughed gaily flexing his muscles in varying poses "I'm the one who makes you awesome, like a MAN!"

"Wow…" Chopper's eyes were gleaming however Nami was less than impressed.

The ginger stomped up to the Spirit, her teeth daggers and her eyes the portals to the very pits of Hell as she screamed "GET SOME PANTS ON!"

The Spirit scrambled back, his face pale with shock and his arms defensive "Whoa, chill out babe," he muttered unhappily "sorry but what you see is what you get, like a MAN."

The navigator ground her teeth together as she released an audible snarl and whirled around to the surrounding crowd "Somebody give me their pants!"

"WHAT?!" was the answering cry from the congregated Marines.

"Just do it," Name snapped "or I'll be forced to come over there and just take your pants and your wallet as payment for my trouble!"

Much murmuring took place among the huddled masses, which lasted roughly twenty-three seconds before a sharp yelp echoed amongst the rafters and a pair of pants were passed forward. Nami snatched said article of clothing and all but flung them at Chopper's Spirit "Now put them on!"

The muscular spirit released a short grunt as the pants hit his face with surprising force, peeling them off and beginning the arduous task of dressing himself. An endeavor had never yet before endured much less attempted. With much flailing, fumbling and zippers closing on things they shouldn't the pants were finally on and the navigator satiated.

"Finally," she sighed "let's hope Luffy's Spirit is a tad more decent."

The ginger headed woman looked to her captain which was currently in a staring contest of epic proportions with a Spirit none expected to see much less imagined.

He was old, beyond ancient and his baggy skin held more wrinkles and lines than the bark of a tree. In fact, his skin did look rather bark like, his arms twiggy and thin and his legs bony like a spider's. His complexion was a dark brown accented by audacious white eyebrows with a wispy long white beard floating just below his chin. His body was clad in a simple cotton tunic which drooped in loose crisscrossing patterns displaying ribs that jutted out underneath his skin. His very aura was like a fresh breeze brushing the leaves of a forest in the afternoon sun, while peace and quiet radiated from his current position of floating meditation. Or at least it would seem he was meditating, but his piercing grass green eyes were glaring directly at his user in an unnamable emotion. Finally after several moments, the old man opened his mouth, the very muscles of his jaw creaking as if they had gone unused for countless centuries.

All watching came to a standstill, each holding their breath for what was to come.

"YOU IDIOT!"

Jaws dropped and giggles were stifled as a paper fan was pulled seemingly from out of nowhere and then used to whack the top of Luffy's head "I strive to lend my wisdom to you, empower your body to take greater hits and endure massive amounts of damage, but for what?! So you can drive us to indigestion with your gluttony?! My power was never meant for something so low, you…you…pipsqueak!"

The captain of the Straw Hat's grit his teeth, clenching his jaw hard enough to make it creak "Don't call me pipsqueak, geezer!"

"I'll call you whatever I want, cretin!"

"Oh yeah?!" Luffy shouted.

"INDEED!" the elderly Spirit bellowed, giving his user another jab with the paper fan.

The raven haired teen stomped his feet in an aggravated huff, his cobalt eyes never leaving the man "Well, you know what?!"

"What?!"

"You're boring!"

"I'm wise," the Spirit spat in return "which is much preferable to being a hot headed runt!"

"HEY!" now Luffy was furious, he never admitted it out loud but he was quite proud of the inches he gained over the past two years, and no one was going to take that away "I bet I'm taller than you, you old prune!"

The Spirit solemnly allowed his feet to touch the ground. Stretching the cracking joints and straightening his spine to stand a full foot taller than the captain causing Luffy to gape in awe before his face once again screwed up into a look of disdain "and you know what else, you smell funny too!"

"How dare you!" the elderly man scoffed "I bathe regularly, which is more than I can say for you, vagabond!"

"What soap you use, rotten banana leaves? Because that's what you smell like!"

"Now, that's the last straw! I will not allow anyone, not even my user, besmirch my favorite herbal tea!" With a flourish the man leaned forward and pinched Luffy's cheek in between two bony fingertips, stretching it out before releasing it with a painful snap "Incorrigible child!"

"OW! That hurt?!" Luffy bellowed in both wonderment and fury "You jerk!"

The captain lunged forward, grasping both the man's cheeks and stretching them out a full three feet before letting go. His Spirit howled in pain, retribution already in action as he twisted young ears, extending his arms upwards sky high reveling in the yelp as the tender pieces of flesh returned to their former position. "HA-HA! How you like that, sonny boy? Not bad for an old geezer!"

"Why you…!"

The duo leapt in tandem, pulling, pinching and stretching as the entire audience sweat dropped at the display. Zoro sighed, face palming as he turned to Tora "Uh, any way you can stop this?"

The tiger merely gave his cub an ' _are-you-kidding?'_ look before simply shrugging helplessly. The swordsman groaned, approaching the navigator and tapping her on the shoulder "Uh, Nami,"

The navigator, watching the fight take place with a dry face that clearly conveyed that she was one-hundred percent done with this crazy captain, looked over said shoulder to address the First Mate "Yeah?"

"We're kinda on a time clock here," Zoro grumbled "Tora can't stay out much longer, and I'm pretty sure that once he returns I'm going to be pretty useless since he's taking us both into a 'healing hibernation.'"

Nami gave a firm nod, already understanding where this was going, "Got it,"

Turning back to her captain who was stretching his Spirit's face using the beard and eyebrows as handholds, while he in turn had a firm grasp on Luffy's lips, Nami strode forward cracking her knuckles ominously. Approaching the dueling duo, the navigator drew a deep calming breath, and then lifting her arms high as she spun her weather staff, released her fury.

"You stupid IDIOTS!" she shrieked "STOP FIGHTING!"

A crack of thunder rolled through the rafters as lightening hit her captain and his Spirit. Of course neither were hurt, but it was enough of a shock to send them tumbling away from each other. The elderly man stared at Nami in awe, his eyes assessing even as he rubbed his bottom and beard woefully "My dear, how you manage to hurt rubber with lightening is extraordinary, it shouldn't be possible!"

"Yeah," Zoro moaned thinking of the unfair debt being imposed upon him "there's a lot of things she can do that shouldn't be possible."

"Ow," Luffy whined rubbing the charred areas of his face "Nami, that hurt!"

"Serves you both right for behaving like children," Nami spat "now can we get down to business before Tora and Zoro bleed themselves out on the floor?!"

Spirit and User glanced at each other ruefully, each contributing an unhappy grumble before slowly clambering back to their feet "Fine," Luffy pouted.

"As you wish, my lady," the old man nodded.

"Finally," Nami sighed "now Tora, as you were saying?"

The tiger grinned, chuckling in his deep baritone "Kaze has trespassed against many laws of the Devil Fruit, committed atrocities, and even led many of her own users to their own slaughter. What is worse, is she has decided to make her former user her intended target. The counts against her are first degree manslaughter, conspiring to kill, and intentional use of her powers to brainwash her users to use their bodies as her own."

"Let it be known," Tora continued "that as it has been now, and even in the time before the Dark History, that such acts go against the contracts of the Devil Fruit with the Users. I move that we hold a tribunal, and judge her for her crimes against our and their kind."

"I second the motion," Robin's Spirit agreed.

"So do I," Chopper Spirit crowed while flexing "like a MAN!"

"You idiot," the angel sighed "you can't second a motion when one has already done so."

"But I can totally agree, like a MAN!"

"Ugh," the angel Spirit groaned "just hurry this along so he can go back where he belongs."

Luffy's Spirit strode forward, taking a wooden staff and banging it on the floor "Then let the Devil Fruit Tribunal BEGIN!"

 **PLEASE tell me that made up for my absence?!**

 **I dearly hope so. How do you like the Spirits?!**

 **At any rate, please REVIEW!**


	37. Chapter 37

**I was determined to give my wonderful readers an update! Thank you so much for the loving responses and reviews, I've adored every single one!**

 **Except for Ladyres, your review was quite unpleasant and I don't appreciate being attacked for something that has absolutely nothing to do with the story. If you're going to leave a review, make sure it is relevant and not a childish temper tantrum. Thank you.**

 **ON WITH THE SHOW!**

"Tribunal," Kaze sneered "like you have any authority, much less the power, to cast judgment over me?"

Luffy's spirit nodded his ancient head, pursing his lips with a barely tolerant glare "As the oldest among us I have access to knowledge long passed from memory, knowledge of days before the Dark History."

Robin started at that, the woman's blue eyes widening as she turned to the guru "You know the Dark History? You were there when it happened?"

The elderly spirit sighed "I am sorry, my dear, however it appears that the World Government when coming to power during that time was able to suppress all Devil Fruit during that dark age. It was only through revolutionaries and other brave souls such as scientists and engineers that brought us back into the light. Unfortunately by that time, all knowledge had been wiped from the earth and we Devil Fruit found ourselves limited and imprisoned within the bodies of our Users. We no longer possessed the ability to communicate freely with them, much less each other."

The archaeologist's face darkened, frustration and anger at the government who censored information so cruelly flashing across her features "I understand," she murmured "I understand all too well."

The man nodded in reply then returned to answering Kaze, "Our ancient laws dictate that any gathering of Spirits may pass judgment on another, with the exception of the death penalty, if their crimes require immediate action, and yours Kaze most certainly do."

"Ha!" the wind maiden scoffed "What are you going to do, regenerate me back to a fruit? That sounds positively terrifying."

"We could," the blue skinned spirit spoke, her mirage of arms waving around her as she did so "however that would be counterproductive to what we wish to accomplish here today."

"Yeah," the muscular spirit bellowed from behind Chopper striking a masculine pose "you've done some rotten things Kaze, it's time you take your punishment like a MAN!"

Usopp, Luffy and Chopper, with stars in their eyes, copied the spirit giving a unanimous "YEAH!"

"I'm a woman, you numbskull," the wind spirit snarled, rolling her eyes at the group.

"Uh…" Chopper's spirit scrambled for an answer before his optimistic face brightened "fine, then like a wo-MAN!"

"Oh God, that's even worse," the angel moaned in tandem with Nami.

A giant paw covered Tora's muzzle as he effectively face palmed (or pawed) "Gum-Gum Guru, please continue,"

The ancient spirit cleared his throat, taking a kettle and a tea cup out of his tunic speaking as he filled said cup with a foul smelling liquid "As we were saying, I agree with Sakura, regenerating you back into a fruit would be counter-productive. Instead, I have a different proposal, one that I believe will be agreeable to everyone."

"Except me of course," Kaze snorted.

The guru inclined his head "Naturally, what use is a punishment if it is enjoyable to endure? A lesson cannot be learned if the consequences are not something to be feared."

"Naturally," the wind spirit echoed petulantly.

"So, about your proposal," Zoro threw in noticing Tora's exhaustion deepening as the Tribunal was drawn out.

"Ah yes," the elderly spirit nodded, vaguely noticing that Luffy had fallen asleep behind him "as I was saying. I propose that Kaze be stripped of her regenerative powers. However as a sign of mercy she will be able to survive by jumping from host to host, of course with the stipulation that she will have a time limit to find such a vessel. If she is unable to locate a host, be it human or animal, within five minutes then her essence will diminish and she will fade from existence entirely."

"I thought you said you couldn't pass the death penalty?!" Kaze shrieked, her ire kicking up a furious gale.

"I did not pass such a judgment," Gum-Gum Guru countered, eyes briefly cutting over to his User when the Straw Hat captain began to snore.

"Yes, you did," the wind spirit continued to bellow "your proposal clearly states that I would die!"

"Only if unable to find a suitable host," the guru reiterated "this stipulation that you may willingly switch hosts is our act of mercy. You have every chance of surviving for another hundred years or even more, but if you are careless in choosing your host the consequences could prove dire."

"So basically don't choose somebody prone to die on a dangerous adventure alone," Usopp supplied with a snicker, "or choose someone likely to be traveling through a barren wasteland alone. Or anyone antisocial really."

"True," Nami nodded sagely "but even when surrounded by people, accidents happen. What if pirates suddenly attack and no one is left alive…in the middle of the ocean? Or worse an entire island is blown up by the government, and while I'm sure you'd probably adore being a Sea King who's to say you'll find a host within your allotted period of time? It will be awfully dangerous."

The spirits all murmured in agreement, each nodding their heads before Sakura stepped from beside Robin, beads and earrings tinkling "I move to accept Gum-Gum Guru's proposal,"

"I seco-!" Chopper's spirit yelped but was already cut off by the angel spirit.

"I second that motion!"

The muscular spirit rolled his eyes, stomping his foot in frustration "MA-AN!"

Sakura and Angel exchanged secret smiles of amusement, both giving light titters at their private joke, the subject of their teasing pouting in the background. However the levity was not appreciated by the wind spirit.

"You…you…wretches!" Kaze seethed "You don't have the power to do this, it's all just a big bluff!"

"SILENCE!" The Gum-Gum guru slammed the end of his staff on the floor, filling the room with a resonating boom.

Luffy jolted awake, his nose bubble popping as his eyes shot open "Huh…wha-? Is it dinner time yet?"

The guru sighed, mentally pleading for patience, before returning to his intimidating stance and bellowing tone "Kaze, you are hereby stripped of your regenerative power, and by the stipulations recorded within this verbal contract we bind you."

Each Spirit closed their eyes, gathering bright energy all around them. Half of the angel glowed a warm white, though the other half of her body was shrouded in pitch black. Robin's spirit shone purple and Chopper's spirit glowed pink. Tora joined in as well, an emerald aura gathering around him. Last of all was the guru, whose body was encased with a vibrant red light. As one the auras came together, twisting and writhing to make a luminescent braid of living color and shooting towards Kaze.

The wind spirit tried to dodge, screaming as she attempted her escape, however the ethereal lights shot forward, green chains wrapping wround her right hand hand while pink ones captured her left. The black and white lights gripped her left leg with the purple not far behind targeting the right one. Red swooped in like a hawk, clinking around her neck as she writhed. The chains suddenly converged, slithering up and around her body, wrapping her in a cocoon as the chains blended and melded into the colors mixed to create pure blinding white. An explosion mingling with Kaze's one last furious shriek sent everyone watching to the floor, effectively demolishing every crate within the space.

Eventually the dust settled, as did the biting wind or Kaze's ire, leaving the audience to slowly pick themselves back up.

Kaze sat on the ground, looking down at her hands in terror. Shackles made of white gold now adorned her wrists, permanently marking her as a reminder of her inescapable fate "No," she murmured, standing to now shaking feet "I will not be a prisoner, I will not suffer like this!"

Turning, the woman cast her deranged gaze on Zoro "You!" she screamed "I will kill you for this!"

Kaze waved her arm, sending a razor sharp slash of wind towards the human. Zoro readied himself for the attack but once again he found an angry tiger stepping between him and the wind spirit "Tora, you idiot, NO!"

But it was to no avail, tora took the full brunt of her attack flying across the space between them. Kaze returned her predatory gaze back to Zoro but was forestalled as now four more spirits stood between her and vengeance.

"I suggest you leave," Sakura murmured, black lightening flashing in her obsidian gaze.

"Indeed, it would be poor decision making on your part to continue in your rage," the guru agreed.

"Yeah, come one step closer and we'll tear you apart, like a MA-!"

The signature line was abruptly cut off as Nami and Angel slammed their fists into his head in perfect tandem "Will you SHUT UP already?!"

Kaze paused, clearly weighing her options then gathered a ferocious gust of wind, blowing everyone back to the floor and bolted out of the ships hold. Where she went no one knew, as there were no hosts anywhere else on the Marine island. However there were reports in a newspaper known for its reports on supernatural myths and alien landings concerning a seagull with odd wind abilities. Reports that of course no one took seriously, however that is neither here nor there, as the Straw Hats and the Marines were now grinning at each other with well earned happiness at their victory won.

Zoro winced from where he lay, cradling his still broken arm before his eye widened in horror and he jumped to his feet. The tiger spirit, having surrendered the last of his energy was lying on his side, the only sound being the rattle of labored breaths being pulled into the bloodied hide. Zoro immediately ran to the feline's side, concerned with Tora's well-being. His battle scarred hand ran tenderly across the soft muzzle, prodding it with an affectionate yet concerned caress "Tora? You ok?"

The tiger merely gave a sad chuckle "I gave the last of my energy to help imprison Kaze, kitten. I don't even have enough left to regenerate as a fruit, my time here is fading."

"No…" The swordsman gripped a handful of orange fur, burying his face into Tora's neck "you can't leave, you can come back into me. The battle is over, we can hibernate now. You'll feel better after you sleep for a bit."

"No, kitten," The tiger shook his massive head twisting so to lick the moss colored hair of his adopted cub "not even that will help me now."

Zoro melted further into Tora, hiding the tears that were teetering on the edges of his vision "You can't," he repeated "there has to be a way."

"Kitten, look at me,"

When the swordsman refused, Tora snuffled his cub's head, prodding it gently with his nose "Zoro," the tiger said, this time in a more commanding tone "look into my eyes."

The man leaned back, valiantly fighting against the burning in his sinuses currently turning his nose pink even as he held back hot liquid trembling on his lashes. Giving as masculine a sniffle as possible Zoro grumped "You only have one now, Kaze slashed your right one."

The tiger laughed weakly, a glob of blood coming up his gullet only to be coughed onto the floor "Then I guess we make a complete set, as you are missing your left."

The green haired man chuckled, though his laugh held little humor as his emotions were bubbling to the surface at a dangerous pace. A muscular hand dragged through emerald locks, and gripped them in an iron vise "Stop being an idiot," he snarled without any real heat "you're dying and instead of letting me save you you're making stupid jokes."

"Kitten, take this as my last gift to you. You're free, free to chase your dream and become the world's greatest swordsman without the burden of having a Devil Fruit." The tiger leaned forward to place his head in Zoro's lap, sighing softly when the man began to absently pet along his ears "I count it an honor to die for the cub I have come to love so well."

Zoro, well aware of all the eyes currently watching this very emotional scene, chewed his lip in indecision. Surely there was something to be done? Tora was more than a Devil Fruit spirit, somehow in the space of time they were together, they had unconsciously moved into an almost father and son relationship, odd as it may seem. The tiger was the closest thing he had ever had to a paternal figure besides his sensei, and the idea of losing him was now too much to bear. He couldn't imagine life without the soft reassuring tones of his purrs and even his warning growl when the swordsman was being scolded. Chest heaving with grief, Zoro addressed the only person who could possibly help the feline.

A pleading silver eye pierced the Gum-Gum guru, making the spirit feel a pang of sympathy while the swordsman rasped out his request.

"Please, isn't there anything you can do?"

The ancient man assessed Zoro, his green gaze indecisive with confusion "I thought you wanted to be free of the Devil Fruit?"

"I did, I mean, I do," The man stuttered to a stop, taking a heavy gulp "but I would consider it dishonorable to purchase my dream at the cost of Tora's life."

The guru chuckled then gave a wide grin that rivaled Luffy's "Well then, there isn't much I can do I'm afraid as we ourselves are rather depleted. So helping him regenerate as a fruit is not an option. However… at the very least we can each donate enough to help Tora reenter your body, and there he can heal."

Joy bursting in his chest, Zoro nodded his approval, and the spirits once again called up their separate energies. Though instead of chains they enveloped the tiger in what would best be described as a warm blanket. The energy was eagerly sucked into the tired feline, and eventually Tora grew smaller and smaller, his large mass absorbing itself back into Zoro's body. The swordsman felt his already exhausted frame begin to violently tremble as he yet again took on another's pain, and his eye drooped lower and lower until it too surrendered to severe fatigue. Eventually the man collapsed, falling into a deep, dreamless sleep making all watching smile softly.

"There," the guru grunted firmly "our work is done, it's time we get back to our own users."

"Aw," Luffy pouted "do you have to?"

"Yes," the spirit nodded "I am already feeling the strain of the outside world and must also take time to regain my energy within your inner space."

"Will I ever see you, or talk to you again?"

Wrinkled lips pursed as the guru pondered his user's question "With concentration and training in the art of meditation, maybe; but knowing you, probably not."

"It was marvelous meeting you," Robin chuckled at her spirit.

"Indeed," Sakura smiled "I hope you too shall attain the level required for us to communicate,"

"I'll work on it,"

Chopper sniffled, watching as his spirit flexed in ridiculous poses to cheer him up "But you can't leave, we just met?!" he wailed.

"Don't worry bro!" the spirit cried exultantly "it's not like I'm really leaving, and besides now that we know communication is possibly we could totally learn to talk to each other like a MAN!"

The reindeer brightened at the prospect jumping into his spirits arms to give him an exuberant hug "Definitely!"

"My lady, it was an honor," Brook murmured with a gallant bow.

"Well, excepting your ridiculous question, I have to say it wasn't such a bad experience meeting you face to face," the angel demurred with a dry smirk before leaning in close "though for the record, just so you know, I'm not wearing any."

Brook's bones turned pale before he fell onto the floor into a dead faint while rivers of blood spurting from his nose. The angel merely laughed in delight at his reaction, her form slowly becoming translucent as she returned to her User. Within moments the room was empty of spirits save the Guru who, while slowly disappearing, turned to Nami.

"My dear," he said in an echoey far off voice "you seem the most sensible out of this crew. Pass along a message for me, will you?"

"Of course," the navigator nodded "I'll just charge Luffy the fee."

The guru chuckled before continuing "Tell Zoro I've prepared Tora one other gift, a special one. It may just be the answer to both their needs."

Nami leaned in eagerly "What?"

The old man grinned, bringing his lips to her ear and whispering in feverish tones, a gnarled hand pulling an odd fruit out of his tunic and handing it to the woman before leaning back "You got all that?"

Nami merely grinned tossing the fruit up in the air and catching it, "Oh yeah, I got it."

"Good, farewell everyone, and Sanji try to help this glutton tone down his eating will you? We get terrible heartburn…"

Soon the voice faded along with the body, leaving the gathered humans breathless, and a tad dazed "Well," Robin breathed "that was quite the adventure,"

"No kidding!" Chopper squealed "and my spirit is SO COOL! Like a MAN!"

Nami clocked the poor reindeer upside the head, her eyes flashing in irritated fury "Now don't you start that again!"

"Sorry," Chopper whimpered.

"Oi, Nami!" Luffy cried bouncing over to the ginger headed woman "what did the geezer tell you?"

"Yeah," Franky echoed putting mechanical hands on his hips "I wanna know too, and what's that weird looking fruit he gave you?"

Nami merely giggled hiding it behind her back "Sorry, that's a secret, at least until Zoro wakes up."

"Awww!" Luffy whined "not fair, that could take forever! The last time Zoro fell asleep like this he didn't wake up for two weeks!"

"Then you'll just have to wait two weeks," the navigator winked gently bopping her captain's nose with an index finger.

"But I wanna know now!"

"No,"

"Na-mi!"

"I said no, Luffy,"

"Tell me, please!"

"Shut up already, I said NO!"

BONK!

 **So that's it guys. The end. Of course there will be an epilogue posted next week, and I promise you'll love it. But as far as the main story goes, it's over.**

 **Please REVIEW!**


	38. Chapter 38

**Hello everyone! This is the Epilogue for this story. I am as of right now planning a sequel, but I cannot say when it will be posted.**

 **Rest assured that I will be posting an update to this story to let you all know when the sequel is published. For now, enjoy and once again thank you for supporting this story.**

In the infirmary of the _Thousand Sunny_ , a lone occupant lay on one of the soft beds. His chest moved in an even rhythm while a peaceful face rested on plush pillows.

It had been almost a week since Zoro had fallen into the healing sleep required for both him and his spirit to recover. Tora was in such bad shape after Kaze's defeat and Zoro was no better as his arm was still in a sling, the broken bone slowly mending. Nevertheless the crew, with fond smiles, collected their swordsman and placed him in the best place where he could heal. Chopper stood as sentry, noting every change and monitoring Zoro's health, ensuring that his big brother felt no discomfort while adrift.

Pen furiously scratching away at the latest results from the usual hourly checking of his vitals, Chopper allowed his mind to wander, considering the past seven days since their departure of the Marine stronghold. Much had happened, and none of it, blessedly, was bad.

Nami of course collected their promised prize before they set sail, the Marine treasury, and busied herself counting and logging it away for future use. The men of the Marine ship were so grateful for the Straw Hat's help they even restocked the larder and gave medicines for the infirmary. All in all, both crews left on amiable terms, both sides marveling at the friendships made despite what was supposed to be a hostile relationship. Unfortunately no one knew of what became of Rosso. The man disappeared from his holding cell over night, and while the Marines were concerned of where he could have gone, they wasted no time reporting him missing in action during a Pirate raid. That in itself worked out rather well, because the Marines said the World Government found any captain who ran away while their crew fought to be distasteful. If reported missing in action, they at least won't be held under suspicion of murder and Rosso will be summarily stripped of his rank for abandoning his post.

The Straw Hats didn't particularly care about the politics though; they merely shrugged and went on with their lives. All content that vengeance had been taken and Zoro was safe within their grasp. The only inconsistency causing strife now was the mysterious fruit Nami kept under lock and key at all times. Luffy was dying to know what it was, and truthfully, so was everyone else. However the navigator brought the term closed-mouth to an entirely new level when anyone brought up said item. Insisting that they would only learn its purpose once Zoro regained consciousness; which of course drove her captain into a tizzy of frustrated curiosity demanding she tell him at once, to which Nami always replied with a firm no. Needless to say things were evening out and all could feel a change in the wind that it was only going to get better from here.

"Oi, Chopper,"

The small physician startled as he was called out of his reverie, noticing Sanji standing in the doorway a tray laden with a luscious looking salad accompanying a delicious smelling plate of food "Thought you could use some lunch,"

Chopper grinned up at the man, his features bright with gratitude "Thanks Sanji! I am a little hungry."

The blond chuckled as he set the bowl and plate down, reaching into his apron for the silverware and placing them in their designated spots on either side. "So," the cook murmured setting out a glass of milk "how's he doing?"

"His vitals are steady," the reindeer confirmed "it's nothing like the last time. He's actually very peaceful, he genuinely seems to be in an incredibly deep sleep. Not quite a coma, but more a rejuvenating rest."

The cook gave a nod "Well, I'm sure he'll be hungry so tell me if he wakes up,"

…

An amazing smell, that was the first thing that first drew Zoro slowly out of his stupor. Something fabulous was nearby and his stomach was already whining for it. Where was he? Zoro wasn't sure, but it couldn't be anywhere bad if something so tantalizingly good was in his near vicinity.

Taking a deep draw of the scent, a happy purr rumbled through his chest. Oh yea, it smelled good. He smelled barbeque roasted chicken, with a generous helping of mashed potatoes and green beans on the side. However that wasn't the only scents he recognized. Cinnamon and nutmeg, Chopper was here, and the smell of cigarettes alerted him to Sanji's presence as well. A soft breeze from what was surely an open window curled around Zoro, bringing the smell of a calm ocean and the sound of laughter on its velvet kiss. The purr increased, urging him to wake and acknowledge the beautiful day by basking in the sun with his nakama.

Using the scents as an anchor, Zoro's consciousness slowly crawled back into the real world, opening his eye and waiting until the blurry vision cleared and the infirmary take shape. Chopper and Sanji were speaking in quiet tones, obviously being mindful of the man supposedly asleep, and the lack of attention made his feline instincts buck up in indignant irritation.

"Oi," Zoro rasped in a plaintive mew "that food for me?"

The duo, which had just previously been conversing about his condition, jumped like a pair of scalded cats, whirling around to face him. A bright grin lit both of their features as Chopper leapt from his chair and tackled Zoro in a hug "You're awake!"

The swordsman nodded, giving the reindeer a one armed hug, vaguely noting that his other arm was still in the sling "Yep, I'm back."

"Good for you, moss ball," Sanji sneered though without any real venom "now you can finally pull your weight around here instead of being a lazy bum sleeping for weeks at a time."

A silver eye widened only slightly as Zoro's brow furrowed in confusion "How long was I out?"

Chopper merely giggled "It wasn't that long, only seven days and this time you were very peaceful. No health problems of any kind except for the injuries you sustained during the battle."

The swordsman sighed, leaning back into the pillows as stark relief washed over him. The battle was won, Kaze banished from his body and he no longer had to worry about seizures or anything stupid like that ever again. Even with Tora still inside him, housing one spirit is a much easier burden for the body to bear than two. Speaking of Tora, Zoro quickly looked inside, searching for the tiger's essence and was pleased to hear rumbling snores echoing from within his mind space. Apparently the tiger isn't much of a morning person, but that's ok, he deserved to rest.

"So I reiterate," Zoro stated with a cheeky grin "Is that food for me or not?"

Sanji rolled his eyes, but couldn't fight a good natured smile "No, in fact it isn't, but if you ask nicely I might get you a plate."

"Ok," the swordsman shrugged before stretching the kinks out of his body and calling "FEED ME!"

The cook face palmed "Honestly, you getting a cat devil fruit has only made your lazy habits more obnoxious."

"I want a cheeseburger," Zoro chirped, satisfied that he was effectively annoying his rival "or whatever Chopper's having, or neither. I won't know till I see them."

"I'm not indulging your annoying feline tendencies, you eat what I give you and that's it!"

"But I'll sta-arve!" Zoro whined enjoying this game far too much.

Chopper however was giggling, "Go make him something to eat Sanji, he hasn't had any kind of food for a week and his body needs the fuel."

"Yeah, human, get me food!"

"GAH!" the cook stomped out however the occupants in the infirmary caught the small chuckles drifting after his retreating form.

Shaking his head the reindeer gave Zoro a soft scolding glare "You're feeling better, I can tell, you're acting silly."

Zoro simply shrugged "I feel silly. I've got all this pent up energy that screaming to run and play."

Chopper nodded sagely "With Kaze gone the instincts of the tiger fruit will be much harder to ignore, but of course your health has improved drastically so I would say it's an even trade."

The swordsman chuckled "So do I have your leave to get out of here?"

"Not until after lunch,"

"But what if I eat my lunch outside?"

"No you're eating it in here,"

"But I wanna go outside!"

"You'll just come back inside,"

"No I won't! Maybe…"

….

"ZORO'S AWAKE!"

The Straw Hat's all dropped their current preoccupations to watch their swordsman stride out of the galley, licking his lips free of barbeque sauce as he stretched both arms over his head. Nami ran over, startling the man with a sudden hug before stepping back "That was some nap," she teased "how're you feeling?"

"Much better," the man grinned.

"No kidding," Franky bellowed from where he stood at the wheel "I haven't seen you looking this SUPER since before this all happened."

"Indeed," Robin chuckled "your countenance is much changed, you appear lighter."

In truth he felt lighter, but the swordsman didn't want to get caught up in a bunch of mushy stuff, so he gave his signature smirk "Just happy to be rid of the harpy, one is bad enough."

"HEY!" Nami whacked Zoro across the head, her eyes blazing before she paused horror written across her features "I-I'm sorry, are you ok?!"

The swordsman was doubled over clutching his head, watching as Nami fretted over his health. Once again he was struck by how much the past several months had changed the crew, and how they saw him. However it wasn't the case anymore, he wasn't fragile and prone to fall into a seizure at the slightest misstep. The amazing feeling of freedom from all the dark worry and self loathing enveloped Zoro, making a stunning grin stretch across his features and a deep belly laugh bubble from his mouth.

Nami froze at the laughter, observing Zoro as he straightened up. Her jaw dropped at the uncharacteristically brilliant smile he wore, something they hadn't seen in what felt like years "I'm not a porcelain doll Nami," Zoro snickered "I can take your hits,"

The navigator found Zoro's laughter to be infectious as she too began to be shaken with mirth. Soon the entire crew was laughing, some from relief, others from the pure joy that their swordsman was well and truly back, but Zoro's reason was simply that he was back among his nakama. Gone was the laboratory and the scientist who ruled over it, gone was the crazed wind spirit bent on his destruction, gone the health problems that shrieked how weak he was through restless nights and gone the hopelessness that filled every moment concerning whether he had any right to follow his dream. Now his life was starting over and he had a new appreciation for the people around him, not to mention every moment he was given in this life.

Zoro's laughter was the loudest and most resonant among the crew, and everyone loved how it washed over them like a healing balm, soothing away the ill feelings of yesterday. Today was sunshine, joy and laughter and by God they were going to enjoy it!

"OH!" Nami giggled, her laughter petering off though a large grin still firmly in place "I have a message for you from the Gum-Gum Guru!"

Zoro cocked his head, blinking at the odd statement "Oh yeah?"

Nami nodded her head, tossing Robin a key "Get that for me, will you?"

The Archaeologist grew a ladder of arms, each passing the key up the stairs and towards the women's quarters, while Nami turned back to Zoro "He said he had a solution to both your problems."

"You mean, mine and Tora's?"

"Yep," The navigator looked down when she was prodded gently by a disembodied hand, leaning down to pick up what appeared to be a devil fruit "this will solve your issue."

Zoro stepped back, holding his hands up in defense "Oh no," he growled "I'm not eating a second devil fruit."

The ginger rolled her eyes "You dork, let me explain."

Nami waited while Zoro pursed his lips and crossed his arms, awaiting her explanation before diving in "The Guru said that in old time when other Devil Fruit spirits found a spirit worthy due to being particularly valiant, and if the bonded spirit and user had a deep enough connection, they were allowed to given a special gift."

"Cool," Usopp cried "but what's that got to do with the fruit?"

"Everything," Nami chirped "the power is they can summon the original devil fruit and if the spirit is manifested on the outside eats it they are given a mortal body of their choosing with limited access to their abilities."

Zoro's jaw dropped, his eye widening to comical proportions "You mean, he'll be here outside, and I'll be normal again?"

Nami nodded, her face glowing with pleasure at being the one trusted with this most precious gift "Tora will get one mortal life that will be tied to your life energy. Basically when you die, he dies, and as long as you live he will too. After you both pass on, Tora will regenerate as a Devil Fruit and his normal cycle will resume but this time he'll have memories of his time outside."

Zoro grasped the fruit, gratitude and happiness causing his fingers to tremble ever so slightly "Thank you,"

"Don't thank me," the ginger scoffed "besides what are you waiting for, get Tora out here so he can eat that thing!"

The swordsman grinned in reply, focusing on pushing the tiger out as the blinding light from before shone from his body. In a matter of moments a massive tiger took up almost half of the green lawn, yawning his gaping maw as he gave his user a grumpy glare "I was sleeping, why did you wake me up?"

"The Guru left you a gift," Zoro grinned "eat this and you'll get a mortal body of your choosing and you can stay on the outside with us. True we're basically bound to each other for life, but you won't be stuck in the mind space anymore."

Tora's good eye widened and the cat jerked forward snatching the fruit from Zoro's hand immediately grimacing in disgust "Ugh, that tastes revolting," the feline groused not noticing the smoke surrounding his body "how can you even want to eat that, granted you get abilities but I won't get that taste out of my mouth for weeks!"

The crew stared in astounded silence as the tiger shrank down and down until it was the size of a housecat. It was bigger than most, about the size of a Maine Coon, but it held the regal stripes of a tiger. Zoro knelt down, confusion written across his features "Why a normal cat? You could have stayed in your original form."

"And then you'd have nowhere to put me," Tora sniffed regally jumping up so to lounge across Zoro's broad shoulders "I want to be comfortable and I assume that I can feel that I have some access to my abilities. It is much more convenient that I become 'travel size'."

Zoro snorted "Or you just wanted a permanent perch."

The feline merely gave a smug grin "Possibly,"

After that Luffy declared a massive party celebrating their newest member and Zoro's liberation from Devil Fruit. They carried on through the day and well into the night, eventually bedding down together on the lawn.

Life evened out and reached a wonderful normal, or as normal as things got for that crew, with Zoro suddenly becoming a news sensation overnight what with his feline companion fighting at his side. He even got a new Wanted poster displaying him with his swords drawn and a hissing cat perched on his shoulder.

The crew enjoyed Tora's presence, especially since now that he had a physical form the cat would often scold Zoro for bad behavior with a nip to the ear or randomly begin grooming the poor swordsman. Needless to say much teasing was had, but Zoro endured it, though not without a few shouted death threats, simply because he too was happy to have Tora on the crew. And despite still being called kitten, and how Tora insisted that he share Zoro's bunk, it really didn't matter. He was back on track chasing his dream and worrying Chopper half to death with his training regimen (which he was severely behind on) which gave him no small amount of pleasure as he swung the familiar heft of deadly steel in a fatal dance.

This adventure had come to an end, and Zoro could honestly say, he didn't regret a thing.

 **FIN.**


End file.
